Pro Bono Volunteer of the Month – April 2022

Judge Cheryl Moss

Retired Family Court Judge Cheryl Moss served on the bench for 20 years.  As many who come here looking for opportunities, retired Judge Moss moved to the City of Las Vegas in January 1995 from Washington DC, where she attended college and law school.  Judge Moss received her BA in political science from George Washington University in 1989, and a JD from the Columbus School of Law, Catholic University of America in 1994.

Judge Moss has undoubtedly followed in the footsteps of her late parents.  Her parents were VA doctors and transferred to Las Vegas looking to make a difference and help veterans in our city.  Her mom treated veterans with gambling disorders; she was a pioneer in her field, leading Judge Moss to create and preside over Nevada’s first Gambling Treatment Diversion Court in 2018.  A dream she fulfilled to help those afflicted with gambling problems.

A fun fact about Judge Moss is that she is a 5^th degree Master Black Belt in Korean Taekwondo.  She previously taught martial arts for over 25 years, focusing on children as young as four years old.  In her earlier years, she broke seven wooden boards with her forehead during competitions and tournaments and has earned many gold medals.  She also organized and operated local Taekwondo tournaments with over five-hundred competitors from all over the United States.  In the summer, Judge Moss enjoys swimming and tries to get on the pool as much as possible.  She swam the crystal blue ocean in the Philippines in 2006 and since developed a fear of sharks and jellyfish, so now she sticks to the pools.

After Judge Moss retired, she reached out to Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada.   She knew she wanted to do something for the community and she reached out to Legal Aid, asking for all the urgent CAP cases on our waitlist.  She happily took the Introduction to Representing Children in Abuse & Neglect Cases and immediately started representing children.  Little did she know that she would fall in love with these kids and wanted to take as many cases as she could handle.  Judge Moss has also represents clients in adult guardianship, domestic violence, custody, and name change.

When asked why she does pro bono work.  Judge Moss replied “I am a people person, which is why I enjoy doing pro bono cases”.   As a Family Court Judge, she saw first-hand many self-represented litigants who struggled to navigate the court system.  She knew of the massive need for pro bono assistance and wanted to give back to her community.  As a retired Judge, she also knows Judges genuinely appreciate when an attorney steps in to help and resolve cases.

We asked Judge Moss to share one of her memorable clients and she indicated all her cases have been special.  However, there is her first minor Guardianship client who will always be special to her.  Her little 4-year old client needed stability after his mother passed away and his father disappeared.  She said that the best part is remaining in contact with him through his grandparents who care for him.

Judge Moss has candidly said that even though she would like to take all the cases on our waitlist, she cannot do it all by herself.  Therefore, she would like to find ways to recruit more private and government attorneys out there and help them get over any possible trepidation in taking pro bono cases.  Because of her endless eagerness to help others, her commitment to pro bono, dedication and passion, we honor Retired Judge Moss as our April Volunteer of the Month.