Van Nuys courthouse opens child-friendly waiting room

Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky strings beads with a youngster at the new Van Nuys Courthouse Waiting Room, which offers a reassuring and child-friendly environment for youngsters whose parents or guardians are involved in various types of court-related business such as attending hearings, filing court papers, or seeking advice from the Self-Help Legal Access Center. The Waiting Room frees up parents to deal with their legal issues, secure in the knowledge that their children are safe, entertained and well supervised. The Waiting Room also spares the children from tedious, complicated and sometimes heated court proceedings. Yaroslavsky’s office contributed roughly 80% of the project’s capital budget costs in partnership with the Valley Community Legal Foundation of the San Fernando Valley Bar Association, which contributed the balance. (11/20/08)