CLARK COUNTY FAMILY COURT I

Greta G. Muirhead, an attorney with her own practice, is challenging incumbent Judge Cheryl Moss for the Department I seat this election.

Muirhead said she decided to pursue the seat because "I thought I could do a better job than what we have now."

"I can bring common sense that's lacking in this department," she said. "There's a lack of control, poor judgment and a failure to discern" in Moss' courtroom.

Muirhead also criticized Moss for being easily distracted and for allowing attorneys to interrupt and attack each other personally instead of focusing on the issues.

"I don't really think she gets it," she said.

Muirhead, who also serves as an alternate hearing master in Family Court, said that if she is elected, her courtroom would be different.

"I have a lot of common sense and am a good listener," she said. "I'm very approachable, very sincere and passionate about the law."

Moss countered that she is a hard-working, "courteous and patient" judge who keeps her cool in the often volatile atmosphere of Family Court.

"I'm a very balanced and even-tempered judge," she said.

Moss said she initially sought the judgeship nearly eight years ago because she wanted to help families and be a public servant.

"I treat every case with care, I'm always prepared and my job is my number one priority," she said.

Moss's judgeship has not been without controversy. She has been criticized for her rulings on a couple of high-profile custody cases, including one in which she gave joint custody of three children to their father despite warnings that the children were exposed to unsecured firearms while in his custody. One of the children, a 12-year-old boy, later fatally shot himself with one of the guns.

Moss said she could not discuss specific cases.

The judge was recommended for retention by a modest 52 percent of lawyers who rated her in the Review-Journal's 2008 Judicial Performance Evaluation survey. She said the poll is flawed.

"There are a lot of good attorneys out there who don't bother to fill it out," she said. "It's mainly an outlet for attorneys to vent at judges anonymously."

Moss said that since taking office she has matured as a judge and increased her efficiency on the bench. She also has implemented a program that refers parents in child custody cases for problem gambling assessments.

The judge earned her law degree from the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America.

Muirhead earned her law degree from the California Western School of Law.

Contact reporter Lynnette Curtis at lcurtis@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0285.