Maupin won't seek third term on high court

Justice Bill Maupin has decided not to seek a third term on the Nevada Supreme Court.

Maupin, who was chief justice through 2007, was a Clark County District Judge until his election to the high court in 1996. He was re-elected in 2002.

Before that he was an attorney for 20 years, including serving as co-lead counsel in the MGM fire disaster litigation resolving legal claims following the deaths of more than 80 people when the Las Vegas casino caught fire more than 20 years ago.

Maupin has initiated measures to streamline the civil justice system and served as head of the judicial project to improve legal assistance for children. He pushed the Judicial Selection Commission to open its processes to the public, which they did less than a month ago, created a task force to study mental health courts and a commission to reform public access to court records.

During his tenure as chief justice in 2007, the court formed the Indigent Defense Commission to improve representation for the indigent. He signed the order designed to raise performance standards for representation of the indigent on his final day as chief justice last week.

Maupin graduated from Western High School in Las Vegas in 1964 and The University of Nevada, Reno in 1968. He received his law degree from the University of Arizona in 1971.

He said in retirement he will write, spend more time with family and pursue "a renewed career in the law." But he didn't rule out the possibility of seeking another public office.

Judicial filing for the 2008 elections opened Monday. Only one candidate filed Tuesday. Richard Wagner, from the Sixth Judicial District judge in Lovelock, filed for re-election to that position.