The idea of using a judicial officer to explain procedure and policy in the Clark County Courts has its roots in the Jeremy Strohmeyer murder case that culminated seven years ago. The cold-blooded nature of the crime, combined with the high profile appearance of defense attorney Leslie Abramson, who had just defended the Menendez brothers, brought media to southern Nevada in packs and caught the local courts off guard. In the media mix that followed stood a judge who attempted to explain what was about to happen and what might happen next. Following the case, the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline (NCJD) released on opinion which defined what a media liaison judge could do and what they could say, coaching judges to stay mindful to the judicial canons designed to prevent bias and prejudice.

Media Liaison Judges also serve a purpose of bringing credibility to the process and enabling the court to educate the public about the process. So while Mark Geragos might think it is unusual to have a judge talk to the media, in the Clark County Courts, the "media judge" has provided valuable insight into the process and helped journalists better understand our judicial system.

The idea is not without its local critics, including many judges in the Clark County Courts. Because judges are elected in Nevada, many people see the plum position of media liaison judge as a ripe opportunity to become better known to the electorate and individuals sometimes volunteer to share their knowledge to better educate the public. But for the most part, judges refuse to serve in the position and would rather avoid the appearance of impropriety or the backlash that may come from the added attention. Most of the time a media liaison judge is recruited by the presiding judge in a case, and usually only when it seems as if the public or media could benefit from some legal education.

As the court information officer, I tend to handle the routine questions about court appearances and upcoming hearings, and utilize the media liaison judge as a credible source of legal knowledge. The judge serving as the media spokesperson is provided talking points and advice on what they can talk about. Information about the case is kept to a minimum to allow the judge to remain unbiased about the case. Because the judicial canons and the NCJD opinion are so restrictive, the media liaison judge is encouraged to talk in generalities and use phrases such as, "Judges in Nevada," or "As a group, we would consider...," which allows the judge to keep a distance from the case.

Only when a judge discusses specifics about a case, or fails to remain neutral does the process skirt on the border of showing bias. In the times a media liaison judge has been used in the Eighth Judicial District Court, the media liaison judges assigned to talk to the media have been very careful to not comment on the specific case and to use general language that only explains the process and procedure. For years, Supreme Court Justice Michael Cherry served in this role and his knowledge benefited the media and the public.