Judge reassigned after criticism of several cases

LAS VEGAS - Five Family Court judges have voted to reassign Juvenile Court Judge Robert Gaston after mounting criticism of his handling of several high-profile cases.

The judges will meet Thursday to determine who will replace him and whether the reassignment will begin immediately or in January.

Gaston will return to hearing domestic relations cases in Family Court.

Family Court Judge Dianne Steel said the reassignment was based on ''philosophical differences between Judge Gaston and the majority of other judges'' and his failure to consult with other judges before making major program decisions.

''Some judges felt it was time for a change in leadership at the Juvenile Court,'' Steel said.

Gaston said he was ''disappointed in the decision of these five judges, and I will miss the kids very much.''

Family Court judges choose one of their colleagues as the juvenile judge for a specified term to handle delinquency and child abuse and neglect cases. Gaston's term as juvenile judge began in January 1999 and was to have run until January 2002.

However, the judges had become increasingly concerned about the criticism surrounding Gaston's decisions not to certify some juvenile delinquents as adults and the effects of his rulings on the court system.