As a Las Vegas attorney, the Judge Halverson story has become the biggest source of gossip lately around here. Aren't popularly-elected judges the best?!

Anyway, I would love to meet you for a drink, but I am going on vacation myself this weekend.

Large and in charge!

WOW, she is a fat pig.

Jabba the Judge

ugh, Judge Elizabeth Halverson is a disgusting fat fuck!

I wash myself with a rag on a stick.

did her forklift breakdown?

she will need to recuse if anyone sues McDonalds in her court

Respectfully, Judge Halverson, my happy meal is a few fries short. Can you please explain what happened?

5:47: Best comment of the day, LMAO.....

5:47- Indeed.

That's not really her is it? Whoever it is, that's a Jabba the Hutt clone.

Oh yeah, that's her - it's the photo that goes with the news article, "Halverson returns to court."

The guy walking alongside her is her lawyer I think.

kudos to 5:47. made me laugh out loud.

Gallion OUT!

Holy shit, she's fat. Judge is so fat, her nickname is, "DAMN!"

They should call her Judge FULLerson, instead of Halverson.

Sizing Up Weight-Based Discrimination

What started out as a leisurely stroll beside a lake in Monterey, Cal., last May resulted in a humiliating and terrifying incident that Jennifer Craig cannot forget.

At 419 lbs, the 23-year-old stay-at-home mom was feeling good about being out of the house that day to take in the fresh air and get some exercise. That was, until a truck of young men pulled up and began harassing her.

"You fat blimp!" one yelled.

"You whale!" said another.

"You fat ass bitch!" the men shouted as they pelted her with empty soda cans and other debris from inside their vehicle.

That day, Craig walked to her car, drove home and cried. And one year later, she is still so haunted by the incident that she dreads stepping out of her door and facing again what so many people her size live with every day -- fat hatred and size discrimination.

"It almost seems to be an acceptable prejudice," said Craig. "People think you can't change your race or your skin color, but you can change being fat. You know, it's like they think 'if you just lost the weight you wouldn't have these issues.'"

From Craig's point of view, it's about much more than weight. "We're human like everyone else. No one deserves to be hated or discriminated against because of how they look."

But, in a society where films, television screens and magazine covers constantly bombard audiences with images of pencil-thin women and buff, muscle-bound men, size discrimination is a common occurrence that constitutes much more than name-calling or staring.

Workplace woes
Experts say the size discrimination phenomenon is most prevalent in employment practices.

"In interview situations, employers bring their biases along with them," says Maryanne Bodolay of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA).

According to Bodolay, one particular scenario of weight-based discrimination in employment is very typical: An overweight person participates in a phone interview or sends in an impressive résumé. The prospective employer considers the applicant highly qualified and wants to meet in person -- that's when the tone starts to change.

"Once that face-to-face interview takes place, all of a sudden the person is no longer qualified," Bodolay said. "We've seen it time and time again. Employers don't want the look of a fat person in the office -- especially a fat woman."

One study cited in Tipping the Scales of Justice: Fighting Weight-Based Discrimination found that 16% of employers admitted they wouldn't hire an obese woman under any conditions. Another 44% reported they would only hire them under certain circumstances.

Bodolay thinks stereotypes are to blame for employers' reluctance to hire obese employees.

"They see us as lazy, not motivated, self-indulgent and weak-willed. And they assume we're not good workers when really, we have to work harder and try harder than everybody else because of our appearance."

Overweight workers aren't just discriminated against in the hiring process. Mark Roehling, a Western Michigan University professor, conducted a research review of 29 weight discrimination studies.

Findings from his study, "Weight-Based Discrimination in Employment: Psychological and Legal Aspects," revealed that in many cases, even when overweight candidates do get hired, they are paid less than their leaner counterparts:

* A 1990 university study found that the starting salaries of "normal"-weight people with MBAs were $3,000 higher on average than their overweight counterparts.
* Another study in 1998 found that white women who were mildly obese earned 5.9% less than "normal weight" employees in comparable jobs, while those who were morbidly obese earned 24.1% less.

No Safe Place
Aside from weight-based discrimination in the workplace, prejudice against the overweight is present in all aspects of daily life, from the classroom to the doctor's office.

According to a 1994 National Education Association position paper, "for fat students, the school experience is one of ongoing prejudice, unnoticed discrimination and almost constant harassment. … From nursery school through college, fat students experience ostracism, discouragement and sometimes violence."

The NEA report also points to a study that finds overweight students are less likely to attend college even though they score high on standardized tests and are academically motivated. Yet another study shows that collegiate faculty are more likely to refuse to draft letters of recommendation for overweight students than their smaller-sized peers.

And even after jumping the hurdles of weight-based discrimination and harassment in education, overweight persons face similar circumstances elsewhere.

Walter Lindstrom, attorney and founder of the San Diego-based Obesity Law and Advocacy Center, says attaining appropriate healthcare and accessing public facilities are two of the most pressing areas of weight discrimination.

Lindstrom's firm routinely handles cases involving insurance policies that fail to cover obese or morbidly obese persons.

"You will never hear of an insurance company that refuses to cover conditions such as AIDS or cancer," Lindstrom said. "But employers -- sometimes unknowingly -- routinely purchase policies that expressly and explicitly exclude coverage for conditions of obesity or morbid obesity."

Lindstrom says insurance companies, like much of the general public, use a "fault-based paradigm" to justify discriminating against the overweight.

"Often people think all you have to do is push away from the table or take a walk around the block. While that may be true for the person who is ten pounds overweight, that just isn't the case for people who are clinically and morbidly obese."

According to Robert H. Eckel, M.D., vice chairman of the American Heart Association's Nutrition Committee, "Obesity itself has become a life-long disease, not a cosmetic issue, nor a moral judgment -- and it is becoming a dangerous epidemic."

There has to be an effort, Lindstrom says, to start educating the general public, including medical professionals, on the disease-based nature of morbid obesity.

Bodolay is anxious to see that happen, too -- especially at the physician level.

"Doctors look at us as a fat person instead of a patient. Regardless of the reason for our visit, to them it's all weight-related or weight-based, and that isn't always the case."

William Hartman, M.D., director of behavioral medicine at Pacific Medical Center's Weight Management program, estimates that 80-90% of the patients he counsels feel like they've been slighted or discriminated against by the medical profession.

And research backs up Hartman's assessment. A study conducted last year by Kelly Brownell, M.D., of Yale University's Center for Eating and Weight Disorders concluded that "even health-care specialists have strong negative associations toward obese persons, indicating the pervasiveness of the stigma of obesity.''

Fighting for Rights
Advocates continue to seek protections for those who experience weight-based discrimination, and, in a few places, legislation has already been passed at the state and local level.

Michigan, for example, is currently the only state with an anti-size discrimination law on its books.

And two years ago, San Francisco joined Washington, D.C., and Santa Cruz, Cal., as the only cities with formal bans on weight discrimination.

According to Tom Ammiano, president of San Francisco's Board of Supervisors, the anti-discrimination measure passed in his city because "many San Franciscans were being denied employment, housing and bank loans merely because they were perceived as being overweight."

Groups like NAAFA and the Council on Size and Weight Discrimination hailed San Francisco's law as a victory in the battle against size discrimination.

"This gives people the legal basis to fight discrimination they face every day," said Sondra Solovay, activist and Oakland attorney who recently authored "Tipping the Scales of Justice: Fighting Weight-Based Discrimination."

Pushing for Acceptance
While most anti-weight discrimination advocates believe increased legislation will help curb the problem, they also admit laws alone are not enough to end the bias.

"Before the laws can be passed, we have to first get to the point where people don't look at an overweight person and assume they are lazy, unhealthy or any of the other stereotypes that exist," said Miriam Berg, president of the Council on Size and Weight Discrimination.

And, Berg says, parents must learn to teach their children it is okay not to conform to our culture's limited standards of attractiveness.

"During the Civil Rights Movement, black children would get picked on at school and when they got home they were told 'black is beautiful and you're fine just the way you are.' Fat children get teased at school and when they come home they hear 'maybe we should get you on a diet.' We've got to change that kind of thinking."

"Changing that kind of thinking" is exactly what Jennifer Craig hopes to do with her own daughter.

"Parents have a responsibility to teach tolerance to their children. I know that when my daughter gets school age, people will tease her about her mom being fat," said Craig.

"I'm already trying to teach her that we need to look at people on the inside and that good people come in all sizes and shapes."

Is there a reason JonB has posted, like, literally 7 or 8 times about how fat this judge is?

Obsessed much? We get it, she's fat.

Dear Lat:

The “line” in Vegas is a term of art. And (strike over or not) we know you will be playing craps.

PS: Put a $5.00 chip on the pass line for me.

I too thought the profusion of fat comments was over the top--until I looked at the linked photo.

Holy shit! The Judge is literally too fat to walk.

Great commercial for the go cart thing she is astride by the way. The g-forces must be tremendous.....

That's no moon...

10:03 nearly made me wet myself.

Ye fucking gods!

Look, I'm a big guy. Some would say I'm fat. I would even say I'm fat. But I don't need a special scooter to get into the courthouse like Judge Halverson. The day I do, I'm gonna put a gun barrel in my mouth and pull the trigger.

I mean, she's unhealthily, catastrophically fat. Like the kind of person you hear about from time to time: 800 pounds, immobilized in bed, has to be removed with a special harness...

What is wrong with you people? Grow up!

Nice, 10:03.

STFU, 7:47. Immaturity is a Constitutional right.

No wonder Judge Jabba made that guy in the news article from her first entry go pick a pencil up for her -- she wouldn't be able to reach the floor!

Seriously, the Judge is morbidly obese.

I don’t know how long she can continue to serve without making special modifications to the court house, e.g., wider doorways, roomer bench.

And how in God’s name can she sit on the toilet, let get on an off without assistance.

Maybe there’s a Tommy Lift in the bathroom.

12:41 that was to funny.

Lat, “still really big”? That is an understatement.

The Judge’s ass is so big it’s visible with the naked eye from outer space.

Lat:

What is the over/under in Vegas on the Judge's true body weight?

Dear 8:39:

I don't know about raw tonnage, but I am guessing a BMI of 60+

The Judge gives the phrase “elevated to the bench” an entirely new visual image.

This is what happens when women vote for the woman on the ballot without consideration of skill, merit or value.

"still really big" in relation to bull elephants. She's a beast.

she's also a complete nut-case. I read another article about her making her bailiffs rub her hooves and back.

Also, being vegas and all.. 10 bucks says the Jenny Craig poster is a fattie as well. Lighten up a bit.. no pun intended.

My gods! Halverton must stink!

When she goes to the toilet, her cheeks puree the stool, besides she cannot reach down to cleanse herself.

Any stories about her court decisions?

My gods! Halverton must stink!

When she goes to the toilet, her cheeks puree the stool, besides she cannot reach down to cleanse herself.

Any stories about her court decisions?

My gods! Halverton must stink!

When she goes to the toilet, her cheeks puree the stool, besides she cannot reach down to cleanse herself.

Any stories about her court decisions?

My gods! Halverton must stink!

When she goes to the toilet, her cheeks puree the stool, besides she cannot reach down to cleanse herself.

Any stories about her court decisions?

If her brains were in her ass...she would really be brilliant,huh?

If her brains were in her ass...she would really be brilliant,huh?

If her brains were in her ass...she would really be brilliant,huh?

I am extremely proud to be an American and equally disappointed to read these postings.

I served jury duty in Judge Halverson's court. It was not my first jury duty and she was fair,kind and considerate. Judges don't have to be nice and she really made sure everybody was comfortable.

She was elected by US the people and although I reallize the people that post here probably are not the kind of people that vote ; she desreves your respect.

I am sure that if you had a disability you would sit at home and milk off the government.

Anyway, if you do not like respecting our elected officials LEAVE. I am sure your mother would be proud of the way you speak about your fellow citizens too.

I am extremely proud to be an American and equally disappointed to read these postings.

I served jury duty in Judge Halverson's court. It was not my first jury duty and she was fair,kind and considerate. Judges don't have to be nice and she really made sure everybody was comfortable.

She was elected by US the people and although I reallize the people that post here probably are not the kind of people that vote ; she desreves your respect.

I am sure that if you had a disability you would sit at home and milk off the government.

Anyway, if you do not like respecting our elected officials LEAVE. Let the decent people stay here.

By the way I am sure your mothers would be proud if they saw the way you write about your fellow countrymen. And so brave, Anonymous

it's the blimp it's the blimp! Frank, it's the blimp

The Toolman Taylor had to tweak her chair

when she sits around the court house she sits around the courthouse

i'd hate to be it's chambermaid and clean it's chamber pot they dont make it big enough for it

why isnt there a sign on her chair that says wide load?

what chair all i can see is handlebars

I cannot worship her from near,(i'm in Minneapolis) so I'll worship her from afar. Tom, Mpls Mn.

Does anybody notice when she's on her special scooter, her legs have to be completely spread open to accommodate space for her fat to sag?