Robert C. Jones

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This page is about the federal judge for the District of Nevada. If you are looking for information about a judge with a similar name, please see Robert Jones.

Robert C. Jones
Image of Robert C. Jones

Nonpartisan

United States District Court for the District of Nevada (senior status)
Tenure

2016 - Present

Years in position

8

Successor
Prior offices
United States District Court for the District of Nevada

Education

Bachelor's

Brigham Young University, 1971

Law

UCLA School of Law, 1975

Personal
Birthplace
Las Vegas, Nev.


Robert Clive Jones is an Article III federal judge on senior status for the United States District Court for the District of Nevada. He joined the court in 2003 after being nominated by President George W. Bush. He served as the chief judge of the court from 2011 to 2014.[1]

Education

Jones graduated from Brigham Young University with his bachelor's degree in 1971 and received a J.D. from the University of California Los Angeles School of Law in 1975.[1]

Military service

Jones served in the United States Army National Guard from 1971 to 1972 and in the United States Air National Guard from 1972 to 1977.[1]

Professional career

Jones was a law clerk for Judge Clifford Wallace of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in 1975 before entering private practice in the State of Nevada until 1982.[1]

Judicial career

District Court for District of Nevada

On the recommendation of U.S. Senator John Ensign, Jones was nominated to the District of Nevada by President George W. Bush on June 9, 2003, to a seat vacated by Judge David Hagen. Jones was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on October 2, 2003, on a Senate voice vote and received commission on November 30, 2003.[2] [3] He served as the chief judge of the court from 2011 to 2014. On February 1, 2016, he assumed senior status.[1]

Bankruptcy Court - District of Nevada

Jones served as a judge for the United States District Court for the District of Nevada from 1983 to 2003. While serving as a bankruptcy judge, Jones was a member of the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals from 1986 to 1999.[1]

Noteworthy cases

Judge refuses to sign off on settlement agreement (2013)

Burning Man is an arts festival that takes place yearly in the Nevada desert. It culminates with the burning of a 60-foot-tall wooden structure in the shape of a man, hence the name of the festival. Organizers sued the county in which the festival occurs, Pershing County, over a potential ban on public nudity, which apparently occurs at the festival. The two sides were able to come to an agreement to resolve the issues between them. That agreement included organizers paying $240,000 a year to help subsidize the cost of police time spent at the festival, and a stipulation that organizers would obtain $1 million in insurance for the event. The county agreed not to pursue an obscenity ban that would have given police officers the right to break up anything they deemed obscene, which could include nudity, and to not interfere in activities regulated by the permit organizers receive annually from the Bureau of Land Management.

When the agreement was ironed out, it was presented to federal Judge Robert C. Jones for approval. Unfortunately, he was not on board with the agreement. He called it illegal and informed both lawyers they should re-attend law school. He also refused to allow a lawyer to speak and had security called when she did not immediately sit down as instructed.

Judge Jones’ dislike for the agreement was apparent, but what he disagreed with in the actual agreement was not so clear. He made no direct statements about agreement provisions in his denial.

Articles:

Nevada’s ban on same sex marriage (2012-2013)
See also: United States District Court for the District of Nevada (Sevcik v. Sandoval, 2:12-cv-00578-RCJ-PAL)

In November 2012, Judge Jones upheld Nevada’s ban on same-sex marriage. The civil rights organization which brought the case, Lambda Legal, appealed the decision to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in December 2012.[4][5] Jones wrote in the decision:

“ Human beings are created through the conjugation of one man and one woman. The percentage of human beings conceived through non-traditional methods is minuscule and adoption, the form of child-rearing in which same-sex couples may typically participate together, is not an alternative means of creating children, but rather a social backstop for when traditional biological families fail. The perpetuation of the human race depends upon traditional procreation between men and women. The institution developed in our society, its predecessor societies, and by nearly all societies on Earth throughout history to solidify, standardize, and legalize the relationship between a man, a woman, and their offspring, is civil marriage between one man and one woman.[6][7] ”
The case's stay expired on July 19, 2013.[8]

I-215 paving case (2009-2011)
See also: United States District Court for the District of Nevada (Fisher Sand and Gravel Co. v. Clark County, Nevada, Case No. 2:09-cv1372-RCJ-GFW)

On August 6, 2009, Judge Jones issued a restraining order involving a paving project on Interstate 215 in the Las Vegas Area. The judge ruled in favor of a complaint from a contractor from the state of North Dakota who believed that Clark County Board abused its power to award a contract to a local company despite the out of state company having a lower bid.[9] The judge ordered that no construction or new bidding could begin until August 20, 2009.[9] On September 19, 2011, Judge Jones dismissed the case with prejudice.[10]

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Federal Judicial Center, "Robert C. Jones Biography," accessed February 24, 2015
  2. ↑ The Library of Congress, "Robert Clive Jones USDC, NV confirmation: PN702-108," accessed February 23, 2016
  3. ↑ Senate Judiciary Committee, "Confirmations of the 108th Congress," accessed February 4, 2009
  4. ↑ Opposing Views, "Federal Judge Robert Jones Rules the "Perpetuation of the Human Race" Justifies Nevada's Ban on Gay Marriage," November 30, 2012
  5. ↑ Equality on Trial, "Nevada marriage equality case Sevcik v. Sandoval appealed to Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals," December 4, 2012
  6. ↑ SEVCIK v. Sandoval, Dist. Court, D. Nevada 2012: Case No: 2:12-cv-00578-RCJ-PAL
  7. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  8. ↑ Equality on Trial, "Stay issued by Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Nevada, Hawaii marriage cases to expire July 18," June 28, 2013
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 San Luis Obispo, "Judge stops Las Vegas Beltway paving project," August 5, 2009
  10. ↑ Justia.com, "Fisher Sand and Gravel Co. v. Clark County, Nevada," accessed August 14, 2013
Political offices
Preceded by:
David Hagen 		District of Nevada
2003–Current
Seat #3 		Succeeded by:
NA



Nevada courts

Federal courts:

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Nevada • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Nevada

State courts:

Nevada Supreme Court • Nevada Court of Appeals • Nevada District Courts • Nevada Justice Courts • Nevada Municipal Courts • Clark County Family Court, Nevada

State resources:

Courts in Nevada • Nevada judicial elections • Judicial selection in Nevada

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