Clark County Family Court, Department F

Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2004 | 3:23 a.m.

Family Court Judge Bob Gaston believes his 16 years experience in the field of education coupled with his 12 years experience as a judge are strong points in his re-election bid for another six-year term in Department F.

Veteran Family Court attorney Gayle Beck-Nathan and experienced trial lawyer Stefany Ann Miley, both of whom have championed children's causes inside and outside the courtroom, are opposing Gaston in the nonpartisan race.

The top two vote-getters move on to the November general election.

Gaston, 64, who has a doctorate degree in education from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and a law degree from Cal Western University, has lived in Las Vegas for 36 years.

Gaston, a former assemblyman who co-chaired the Assembly education committee, said his background and experience in education has assisted him in developing programs for Clark County.

They include implementing an around-the-clock emergency protective order for domestic violence, authoring a state bill giving grandparents the right to ask the court for visitation rights and instituting a tattoo-removal program for youths who want to leave gang life and get jobs.

Gaston, who was honored for his community service by the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce in 2000, includes among his civic activities serving on the boards for Safe Nest, the Nevada Association of the Handicapped and the Boy Scouts of America Area Council.

Beck-Nathan, 50, who has a master's degree in special education from Long Island University in addition to her law degree from Touro Law School in New York, has practiced law locally for 16 years, nine of them primarily in family law, litigating divorces, paternity cases, grandparent-visitation matters and child-support issues.

She has served as an alternate hearing master in Child Support Court and as justice of the peace pro tempore.

Beck-Nathan serves on the Clark County Bar Association's Continuing Legal Education Committee and has been recognized for her pro bono work with the Children's Advocacy Project. Her civic work includes chairing the Kiwanis Club's educational program on shaken-baby syndrome.

Miley, 33, who earned her law degree at Cal Western, has experience in corporate law, personal injury, criminal law, real estate and domestic law.

She vows that if elected, she will provide fairness to all individuals and to be prepared and ready to make decisions.

Her civic deeds include raising money for charities including HELP, Ronald McDonald House and KLVX Channel 10's Ready to Learn. She also helped draft the safe haven for babies law that allows a parent to drop off an unwanted infant at a police or fire station or hospital without facing charges.