Justice Cameron M. Batjer Memorial Service and Reception to be held July 14 in Carson City

6/28/11

The College is saddened by the loss of Cameron M. Batjer, an outstanding judge of great integrity and thoughtfulness. Justice Batjer passed away on June 1, 2011 at the age of 91 at home with his three daughters by his side. Justice Batjer's commitment to the College lives on through his youngest daughter, Marybel Batjer who just completed a term as Chair of the College's Board of Trustees. Justice Batjer was extremely fond of the College and made generous contributions for 25 years. In addition, a scholarship endowment has been established in his name that will provide judges the opportunity to attend courses at the College in perpetuity. At his passing, he left funding for the College to establish this scholarship endowment - the Cameron M. Batjer Scholarship Endowment.

Justice Batjer was a native Nevadan born on a cattle ranch in Smith Valley. He had a tremendous career, starting out as a school teacher, then serving with the U.S. Navy in the Construction Battalion (Sea Bees) until 1945 when he returned to Nevada and resumed his teaching career. During that period, he decided to attend law school. He graduated in 1950 from the University of Utah Law School and was named chief counsel of the Utah State Senate. A year later, he was asked to serve as Nevada Senator George "Molly" Malone's chief counsel. He again returned to Nevada and established a private law practice in 1954 and was soon named Ormsby County District Attorney. He was appointed to the Nevada Supreme Court in 1967 and retired in 1981 to accept an appointment by President Ronald Regan as Chairman of the United States Parole Commission. He retired from that post in 1991, when he and his wife Lura chose to live in both Nevada and Maui, Hawaii.

Development Director Gretchen Alt Sawyer said, "Justice Batjer was one of the College's most dedicated supporters. He believed that the College was one of Nevada's greatest assets. Justice Batjer supported scholarships for many years and even had the opportunity to have lunch with one of his scholarship recipients at the College's dining commons. His amazing legacy will live on forever through a scholarship endowment that he and his family have established in his name." Donations to the Cameron M. Batjer scholarship Fund, may be mailed to National Judicial College, Judicial College Building, MS 358, Reno, NV 89557. For more information, contact Gretchen Alt Sawyer at alt@judges.org or (775) 327-8257.