Representing sect's youth proves a complicated task

The lawyers who arrived in San Angelo last hebdomad were given IDs, wellness screenings, multiple shots of hand-sanitizing Purell and a colored booklet for each client — most got one folder, some more than than one.

Orange was for the pregnant girls, one lawyer said. Another said pinkish was for the youngest children.

They met with their clients in a corner of the crowded local coliseum. Most lawyers didn't acquire to speak to parents or make any investigation, as is customary. Most didn't acquire to see the grounds gathered by Child Protective Services, even in court.

About 350 Lone-Star State lawyers are now realizing the sobering journeying they've agreed to, one that's pickings them into unknown legal territory, in the lawsuits of the children from the El Dorado polygamist religious sect ranch.

More than 400 children were removed in a foray this calendar month on the Longing for Sion Ranch tally by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Of Nazareth Jesus of Latter Day Saints, a turncoat Mormon sliver grouping that allegedly believes in marrying off underage misses to aged men. State child-welfare government said there was grounds of physical and sexual maltreatment at the ranch.

"This is wildly different than anything I've encountered," said Betty J. Luke, a South Lone-Star State College of Law professor who works on clinical studies. She's represented children before. But this week, she's had problem getting to kip with the begging shouts of her new 7-year-old client's last telephone phone call echoing in her head.

Luke, like 100s of other Lone-Star State lawyers, answered phone calls and e-mails seeking military volunteers last week.

Though many of the lawyers praised local tribunal functionaries for doing the best under unbelievable circumstances, there was also what Saint Luke names an "ugly side" to the two-day hearing that decided the impermanent fate of the children.

"There was no meaningful manner to have got my client addressed at this cows call. There have been no manner yet to meaningfully stand for my client," said Luke, who have had problem stretch a Lone-Star State Child Protective Services lawsuit worker.

Biggest lawsuit in historyDonna Broom, another South Lone-Star State College of Law clinical mental faculty volunteer, compared watching the big impermanent detention hearing on a monitoring device outside the courtroom to "watching the O.J. Mrs. Simpson trial on television and trying to adequately stand for person in the case."

"Everything is different here," she said. "These children have got a manner of life so different from a typical child. You can't just sit down them in presence of an Xbox or a television set and state acclimate yourself.

"This is the greatest kid detention lawsuit in history, and there will be a batch of law coming out of this case," said Broom.

And that's A batch of what will go on next. There will likely be many legal petitions to the local justice and to state appellate and federal tribunals that could intervene. A federal civil rights lawsuit against a state functionary is another possibility.

Guy Choate, a San Angelo lawyer who have set aside his ain work to assist form the mental representation of the children, said he cognizes lawyers across the state are working on challenges to the impermanent detention hearing that local state District Judge Barbara Walther held for all the children at once.

Egos reined in"The greatest ailment is that each kid have not had the separate 14-day hearing they are entitled to," said Choate. "There are inquiries about whether to appeal, whether it would be in state tribunal or federal court, in San Angelo or where the children weave up."

He said he was pleased with how the lawyers sublimated their egoes and worked together.

"It was really impressive. I've been in hearings with 10 lawyers where I wanted to kill nine of them," said Choate.

Sheryl Johnson-Todd, A Houston household law lawyer volunteer, said she was overwhelmed by the generousness and forfeit of the people of San Angelo.

Johnson-Todd said some of the information about the lawsuit not made public explicates more than of what's happened and people will "have to swear a small that we're not all ablaze imbeciles out there."

The State Barroom also have asked lawyers to lend to legal foundations to assist defray the costs for military volunteers and to Legal Aid of Northwest Texas, which is working to stand for indigent mothers.

At the end of the hearing last week, the justice praised the regular army of attorneys.

"Before I do my ruling," Walther began, "on behalf of the Judges of the state of Texas, I desire to give thanks every member of the barroom for doing an outstanding occupation for their clients. I have got never been more than proud of all of you."

Chronicle newsman Terri Langford contributed to this story.

mary.flood@chron.com