Editorial: Endorsing judicial candidates

Thursday, Oct. 14, 2004 | 9:08 a.m.

FAMILY COURT

District Court judges who serve in the Family Division have one of the toughest jobs in the judiciary. They oversee divorce cases, where normally level-headed people can turn into the most irrational human beings when they're dissolving a marriage. Those cases can get uglier if there is a bitter child-custody dispute. Family Court also has a juvenile judge, who mainly handles child abuse and neglect cases, some of the hardest cases to hear. Family Court judges must base their rulings on the facts before them and relevant laws, but they nevertheless have some latitude, especially when determining what's in the best interest of the child. This general election three Family Court judges -- Gerald Hardcastle, Robert Lueck and Bob Gaston -- face re-election.

Hardcastle, who is in Department D (Juvenile Court), has been a judge for 12 years. Among the innovative programs he has launched is one he started 11 years ago to help parents undergoing a divorce. The program assists parents in not only understanding the impact that divorce will have on their children, but also how they can help their children better cope with what can be a devastating experience.

Lueck, who won election to Family Court's Department E in 1998, is a proponent of the collaborative divorce process, which is supposed to encourage amicable settlements by getting both sides to agree in advance that they'll negotiate the issues in their case and will only go to court to get the final approval by a judge. Not everyone has embraced this concept, which Lueck hopes to have in place next year. Nevertheless, considering how stressful divorce can be, we're encouraged that Lueck is willing to consider a different approach, to see if there is a better, less contentious way to arrive at these settlements.

Gaston, in Department F, has been a Family Court judge for 12 years. In addition to being a family law attorney for more than a decade, Gaston previously was a state assemblyman, a teacher and a school principal. One of Gaston's important accomplishments as a judge was establishing a round-the-clock program -- open seven days a week -- that ensures that emergency protective orders for domestic violence victims can be obtained promptly.

The three judges have made controversial decisions at one time or another, but that isn't surprising given the nature of the cases they hear. Overall we believe that they are committed to making decisions based on the facts and law while, at the same time, being fully aware of the impact their rulings will have on families. The Sun endorses Gerald Hardcastle, Robert Lueck and Bob Gaston.

JUSTICE OF THE PEACE

In Department 7, attorney Jim Gubler is running against Justice of the Peace Karen Bennett, a former legal counsel for the Las Vegas Housing Authority who was appointed to her seat in 2002. Although we believe that Gubler would be outstanding if elected, Bennett is growing in the job and is deserving of a full term. The Sun endorses Karen Bennett.

In Department 9, Deputy District Attorney Bernie Zadrowski is facing Joe Bonaventure, whose father is a district judge. Zadrowski's experience in the courtroom -- he has tried more than 100 criminal cases -- far exceeds that of Bonaventure. Zadrowski, a deputy district attorney in the Special Victims Unit, also is knowledgeable about the important issues facing our justice system. The Sun endorses Bernie Zadrowski.