CLARK COUNTY FAMILY COURT R

Two veteran local attorneys will square off on election day for Family's Court's newly created Department R judgeship.

Perennial candidate Bill Henderson, a 20-year family law practitioner in Las Vegas, will face Chuck Hoskin, who has practiced family law for 17 years and twice run unsuccessfully for Family Court.

Henderson is also a Clark County truancy master and alternate hearing master in Family Court. He came about 1,000 votes shy of winning a District Court judgeship in 2006, losing by the slimmest of margins to District Judge Elizabeth Halverson.

Henderson won the primary election for Department R and said he's "guardedly optimistic" about winning the seat outright.

"I think people realize they would be comfortable with me on the bench and I'd do a good job," he said.

Henderson said that if elected he won't be "hyper-technical" about enforcing rules with people who represent themselves. More and more people are doing so, he said, because of economic constraints.

"For those who can't afford attorneys, it's important for the court to be sensitive and relax the technical rules and deadlines," he said. "I try to make people feel as comfortable as possible."

Hoskin, who has served as a judge pro tem in Family Court for six years, said he has a better judicial temperament than Henderson, who he said can be demanding and impatient on the bench.

"A judge needs patience, tolerance and the ability to get to the root of the matter without losing his patience," Hoskin said. "That's the kind of judge I am when I'm sitting on the bench. I have a different approach."

Hoskin is a Clark County native and 1981 Bonanza High School graduate. His experience with family law, coupled with his experience as a husband and father of four, help him understand the needs and insights of families and children, he said.

"I have a better perspective as to what children are going through," he said.

Henderson doesn't have children, and so lacks that perspective, Hoskin said.

"I don't think it (having children) is a requirement, but I think it gives you a better perspective," he said.

But Henderson disputed that contention.

"I haven't seen any correlation between the performance of judges and the size of their families," he said.

Henderson earned his law degree from Washburn Law School.

Hoskin earned his law degree from Northwestern School of Law at Lewis & Clark College.

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