Columnist Sandra Thompson: Program gives children legal representation

Sandra Thompson is vice president/associate editor of the Las Vegas Sun. She can be reached at 259-4025 or through e-mail at [email protected].

STEVE HILTZ'S job is to "defend the defenseless."

Hiltz heads the Children's Attorney Project, which officially opened for business last week out of the offices of Clark County Legal Services.

Initially called the Children's Law Project, the program was approved by the last Legislature so Nevada could comply with a federal law mandating that children in abuse and neglect cases be represented by an attorney or guardian ad litem.

Thirty-two other states require such representation.

The project will provide independent legal representation in abuse/neglect, guardianship and -- eventually -- domestic violence cases. Particular attention will be paid to children who have languished in the foster care system.

Hiltz, who worked for the Legal Aid Society in New York, took time off from representing children in Juvenile Court and moved to Las Vegas a year ago. That respite didn't last long. The Children's Attorney Project fit his background and piqued his interest.

"I'm impressed and surprised (at this community)," Hiltz says. "I always thought of Las Vegas as Sin City and gambling. But there's so many dedicated people who care about the community."

Las Vegas, he says, is "wide open to doing things right." He contrasts that with the huge chaotic system in New York that's full of bureaucrats where "everyone is trying to get through the day. Everyone's trying to get through the (court) calendar."

Hiltz sees a need for more intervention early on in a case.

"The state statute says children should be brought up by their parents. That should be the first emphasis," he says. "But if there is evidence the parents will be a risk to that child, you'll move away from that." It's not that difficult, he says, to find out what the problems are and what help is available for parents, some of whom are overwhelmed. "A system that believes in that would make a difference," he says.

But the bottom line is that the child is his client. He feels at ease talking with children. Hiltz says developing a rapport with a child is instinctive with him.

"Kids are so uninhibited. I find them to be open."

The Children's Attorney Project is accepting referrals not just from agencies and the court system, but from individuals concerned about a child.

Expect Hiltz's office to be bombarded with referrals. A second attorney is scheduled to be hired, but even that won't meet the anticipated demand. The project hopes to work with the Boyd Law School in the near future.

Since the program was set to open Sept. 1, the office already has received inquiries about referrals.

District Court Judge Lee Gates signed an order giving the project the right to represent children, which gives attorneys access to all records as an equal partner in all proceedings, Hiltz says.

Since there has been no program like this in Clark County, Hiltz sees this as a good opportunity to educate people on what should be done.

Hiring an attorney who has not been part of the local scene may be a benefit, too. He should have no baggage or allegiances to a particular judge, agency or group.

"We can intervene (in a case) on our own. It's kind of novel," Hiltz says. "We want to be independent."

One of the criticisms of Family Court is that children's voices aren't heard.

A foster parent recently cited a new slogan for a national campaign to draw attention to the needs of children in foster care: "A million hands; no voice but ours."

Let's hope the Children's Attorney Project speaks loud and clear for them.

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