Opinion ID: 1188955
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: appointment of master

Text: There is no dispute that a breach of a duty to maintain confidentiality can and should be sanctioned in an appropriate tribunal. I do not agree that this court should appoint a master to investigate the source of information reported in the media without serious consideration of the ramifications of such an investigation and without setting forth specific guidelines. This is a very sensitive area in which Supreme Court Rules regarding confidentiality are likely to come into conflict with First Amendment rights under the constitution of the United States and with provisions of the constitution and statutes of the State of Nevada. Justice Springer apparently believes that there are no legal concerns in such an investigation. He ignores the fact that the member of the media who was given the information is the one person (other than the perpetrator) who knows who provided it and that this person is protected from revealing his source by NRS 49.275. Justice Springer is further assuming (with no justification whatsoever) that the source is a member of Judicial Discipline Commission. Furthermore, recent events lead to the strong inference that the breach of confidentiality occurred within this court. This court should check its own personnel and procedures before casting aspersions on others.