CLARK COUNTY FAMILY COURT J

Las Vegas attorney Kenneth Pollock described himself as an outsider who can bring new ideas to Family Court if voters choose him rather than incumbent Lisa Kent.

"I'm sure Judge Kent is not going to like it, but the Family Court is as dysfunctional as the families it serves," Pollock said.

Pollock, 43, said he does little work in the area of family law but has a broader base of legal experience than his opponent.

Kent, 44, said she has dedicated her career to the welfare of families.

"I have a lifelong commitment to children and families," she said.

The pair emerged from a field of five candidates in the Department J race to advance to the general election. In the primary election, Kent received 35 percent of the vote, and Pollock received 24 percent.

Pollock pointed to Kent's poor scores on judicial performance surveys as one reason voters should reject her.

In the Review-Journal's 2006 Judicial Performance Evaluation, responding lawyers rated her the worst judge. Only 29 percent said she should be retained. The poll is conducted every two years.

This year, 36 percent of the respondents said Kent should be retained. Only District Judge Elizabeth Halverson, who was defeated in the primary election after facing misconduct allegations, fared worse on that question.

Kent said her scores on the judicial surveys represent the opinions of a small percentage of Clark County's lawyers and are not indicative of her performance on the bench.

She was elected as Lisa Brown in 2000, the year her seat was created. She ran again in 2002 for a full six-year term.

The judge changed her name after her marriage in June 2006 and has retained the Kent surname since her divorce in October.

Pollock has never been married and has no children.

Kent adopted her 10-year-old son when he was an infant. Since August, she has been serving as a foster parent to two of his younger siblings, whom she also hopes to adopt.

Pollock, 43, ran unsuccessfully against District Judge Donald Mosley in 2002 and made a failed bid in 2006 for a seat in Las Vegas Justice Court.

Kent became licensed in Nevada in 1991. She primarily practiced family law from 1992 to 1997, then practiced in Family Court as a deputy attorney general.

Pollock has been licensed to practice law in Nevada since 1998. He previously practiced law for about seven years in California.

The challenger said he has presided over more than 250 District Court cases as an arbitrator during the past 11 years. In addition, he said, he has presided over more than 2,800 cases during the past year as an alternate judge in Las Vegas Municipal Court.

Pollock said he would like to start a Drug Court program in Family Court, and he recently has been trying to recruit mediators who would be willing to volunteer their services in Family Court cases. People in Family Court often cannot afford private mediation, he said.

According to the most recent reports, which were due in early August, Pollock had received nearly $65,000 in campaign contributions, and Kent had collected about $39,000. Pollock's total included a $50,000 loan he made to his campaign.

Contact reporter Carri Geer Thevenot at cgeer@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-8135.