Terri Pickens, Pickens Law, PA Boise, was nominated by the Fourth District’s Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program for her work representing Guardians Ad Litem in child protection cases. The program staff said that Terri “has shown a passionate commitment to children in our community through her representation of CASA/GAL volunteers over the years.” The staff called Terri a “fierce advocate” and that attorneys such as Terri make these services to abused children possible. One particular case Terri handled ended up with the termination of the parents’ rights. Terri committed well over one hundred hours (100) to the case and according the CASA staff she “did a phenomenal job representing her client and the children’s best interests.” Terri says of volunteering with CASA that “it is more than worth your time, its rewarding.”

Mark Geston, Stoel Rives, LLP, Boise, is a civil litigation attorney who volunteered to assist immigrant women and children in Idaho who are victims of domestic violence committed by a United States citizen spouse or parent. These cases are presented using the federal “Violence Against Women Act” (VAWA). VAWA allows immigrant victims to obtain immigration relief without their abuser’s cooperation or knowledge and thereby eliminates the ability of abusers, traffickers, and perpetrators of sexual assault to control their victims with threats of deportation. Since receiving training to provide this kind of work Mark has spent 60 hours preparing immigration filings for two victims of domestic violence whose safety and legal status are being protected through his efforts.