Court opponents stay apart, even over new fed building

Greg Tuttle

Monday, May 8, 2000 | 11:37 a.m.

They work on opposite sides of the courtroom, so maybe it should be no surprise that the head of the federal prosecutor's office and public defender's office in Las Vegas have different views on office space.

U.S. Attorney Kathryn Landreth is eagerly awaiting the opening of the new federal courthouse in Las Vegas, where her department's offices will occupy the entire fifth floor and half of the fourth floor.

The 75 employees in Landreth's office currently work out of leased office space in the Bridger Building two blocks from the courthouse. The government leases the private office space at a cost of $874,106 a year, according to the General Services Administration.

Landreth's office will move in to the new $96.8 million Lloyd D. George U.S. Courthouse in mid-July, about two weeks after the building opens for business July 3.

"We're very excited about being back in the courthouse," Landreth said. "The facility is beautiful and we get the space we need."

Meanwhile, Franny Forsman, head of the federal public defender's office, is content to stay put. Forsman was offered space in the new courthouse, but she declined in favor of the leased space her office now occupies on South Third Street, also about two blocks from the courthouse.

"I'm pretty happy here," Forsman said.

Instead of the marbled hallways and elegant furnishings planned for the new courthouse, Forsman said, the 45 employees in her office prefer the atmosphere of a private law firm the leased office space provides.

The government pays $263,945 a year for the space, according to the GSA.

The office is currently being painted at the building owner's expense, and a committee of employees chose a color scheme that includes yellow, peach and two shades of blue.

Forsman said the decor reflects an attitude of independence held by the attorneys and others in her office.

"This really goes to the core of how we see ourselves, which is independent of the other government functions," she said.