FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 8, 2010

CONTACT:
Elisa Maser, Nevada Advocates of Planned Parenthood Affiliates, (775) 762-6141, emaser@nevadaadvocates.org
Lee Rowland, ACLU of Nevada, (775) 786-1033 (Reno), rowland@aclunv.org
Maggie McLetchie, ACLU of Nevada, (702) 366-1902 (Las Vegas), mcletchie@aclunv.org
Lorraine Kenny, ACLU, (917) 532-1623 (cell), lkenny@aclu.org

CARSON CITY, NV – In a legal challenge seeking to block the “Personhood Nevada” petition, an initiative that could potentially ban a range of reproductive health care in the state, Judge Russell of the First Judicial District today declared the initiative invalid. 

An individual woman, a pharmacist and an obstetrician-gynecologist filed a legal challenge against the petition on November 12, 2009, arguing that the initiative proposes far reaching changes to the Nevada Constitution and laws, is misleading and fails to give voters a clear understanding of the changes it proposes and its purpose and effect.

“I am pleased that the court recognized that the initiative was confusing and failed to tell voters that it would affect access to reproductive health services,” said Emmily Bristol, one of the plaintiffs.

The initiative attempted to re-define the term “person” to include a fertilized egg and all subsequent stages of prenatal development.  According to the initiative’s proponents, the newly defined “persons” would have full constitutional rights under the Nevada Constitution.  The initiative could have banned all abortions and commonly used forms of birth control.  In addition, it could have interfered with doctors’ ability to treat life-threatening pregnancies, miscarriages, and infertility, as well as banned some stem cell research and other life-saving therapies and cures.

“Today’s decision rightfully prevents this sweeping and misleading initiative from being placed on the 2010 ballot,” said Lee Rowland, one of the attorneys for plaintiffs.  “This initiative could have impacted literally thousands of laws, inviting lawyers and the courts to reinterpret every Nevada law and regulation that contains the word ‘person’ all at the expense of Nevada taxpayers.  The key problem is that it covered too many issues, and failed to explain to voters its intent and impact on Nevada law.”

Plaintiffs in today’s legal challenge, Bristol v. Personhood Nevada, include Emmily Bristol, Dr. Mindy Hsu, and Dr. William Ramos. Lawyers on the case include John Griffin and Jason Woodbury, Kaempfer Crowell Renshaw Gronauer & Fiorentino in Carson City, Rowland and Maggie McLetchie of the ACLU of Nevada, Mimi Liu, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and Diana Kasdan, ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project.

Read more . . .   Expiration Letter Notification – Comprehensive Planning

Contact: Jennifer Lazovich, Partner, Kaempfer Crowell Renshaw Gronauer & Fiorentino (702) 792-7000 or jlazovich@kcnvlaw.com

Severin A. Carlson Elected as Chair of
Nevada Certified Court Reporters Board – 2010

CARSON CITY:  In 2007, Governor Jim Gibbons appointed Severin (“Sev”) A. Carlson, an attorney with Kaempfer Crowell Renshaw Gronauer & Fiorentino (Kaempfer Crowell), to the Nevada Certified Court Reporters Board (“Board”), which regulates and controls the practice of court reporting. The five member Board is comprised of three court reporters, one public member and one attorney. Last week, the members elected Sev to serve as Chair of the Board in 2010.

A native Nevadan, Sev works in Kaempfer Crowell’s Northern Nevada office where he handles administrative law, water law, and commercial litigation matters. He is an active member of the State Bar of Nevada, a requirement that a practicing attorney must meet to serve on the five-person Board. The Board reports to the Governor and was established by the Nevada Legislature to oversee the practice of court reporting since the profession affects the public health, safety and welfare of Nevadans.

Kaempfer Crowell is a prominent force in Nevada, serving local, regional and national clients in the areas of government affairs, legislative affairs, land use & zoning, commercial litigation, real estate, energy, telecommunications and water. With offices in Southern and Northern Nevada, Kaempfer Crowell’s lawyers counsel top corporations, business owners and individuals. The Firm’s attorneys are routinely rated among The Best Lawyers in America®, Chambers USA and Nevada’s Legal Elite.

For more information about Kaempfer Crowell, please call (702) 792-7000 or visit www.kcnvlaw.com. Kaempfer Crowell is a Nevada professional corporation.

Contact: Jennifer Lazovich, Partner, Kaempfer Crowell Renshaw Gronauer & Fiorentino (702) 792-7000 or jlazovich@kcnvlaw.com

Peter C. Bernhard was Selected for Inclusion in 2009 Super Lawyers – Corporate Counsel Edition

LAS VEGAS – Kaempfer Crowell Renshaw Gronauer & Fiorentino (Kaempfer Crowell) is pleased to announce that Peter C. Bernhard was selected for inclusion in 2009 Super Lawyers – Corporate Counsel Edition. His primary area of practice is business litigation.

The selections for Super Lawyers are made by Law & Politics, a division of Key Professional Media, Inc. of Minneapolis, Minn. Each year, Law & Politics undertakes a rigorous multi-phase selection process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent evaluation of candidates by Law & Politics’ attorney-led research staff, a peer review of candidates by practice area, and a good-standing and disciplinary check.

Kaempfer Crowell is a prominent force in Nevada, serving local, regional and national clients in the areas of government affairs, legislative affairs, land use & zoning, commercial litigation, real estate, energy, telecommunications and water. With offices in Southern and Northern Nevada, Kaempfer Crowell’s lawyers counsel top corporations, business owners and individuals. The Firm’s attorneys are routinely rated among The Best Lawyers in America®, Chambers USA and Nevada’s Legal Elite.

For more information about Kaempfer Crowell, please call (702) 792-7000 or visit www.kcnvlaw.com. Kaempfer Crowell is a Nevada professional corporation.