Nevada Supreme Court denies Nye County DA’s reprimand appeal

The Nevada Supreme Court has denied an appeal from Nye County District Attorney Chris Arabia, who was reprimanded for firing a deputy assistant that worked in his office.

In September 2019, Arabia terminated former Nye County Deputy District Attorney Micheal Vieta-Kabell, citing poor performance.

But Vieta-Kabell claims he was wronfully fired for trying to unionize his fellow deputy district attorneys. Vieta-Kabell filed an appeal with Nye County in an attempt to save his job, according to court documents. But Nye County Human Resources canceled his hearing at the request of Arabia, who sent an email to that department stating that in his legal opinion, Vieta-Kabell was not entitled to a hearing because he was an “at-will” employee.

Vieta-Kabell filed a grievance with the Nevada State Bar and the matter eventually made its way before a panel of the Nevada Supreme Court, which reprimanded Arabia for his interference.

In the document outlining the court’s split decision, Arabia’s actions against Vieta-Kabell were found negligent.

Arabia vowed to appeal the decision, but his request for a rehearing has been denied and the reprimand will stand.

Reprimands are a form of disciplinary action imposed after trial or formal charges that declare the conduct of a lawyer as improper. However, they do not limit a lawyer’s right to practice.

Arabia declined to comment on the court’s decision.

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com.