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	Hearing to Address Alamo Church Kids By Lynn Larowe Arkansas Democrat-Gazette November 24, 2008 http://www.nwanews.com/adg/News/244560/ TEXARKANA — Lawyers from across Arkansas will gather today in a Texarkana courtroom as advocates for 20 children authorities took last week from Tony Alamo Christian Ministries members and their parents. A probable-cause hearing for the children is scheduled at the Miller County Courthouse before Circuit Judge Kirk Johnson. It will focus on whether child welfare officials had enough evidence to seize the children Tuesday. "We're just trying to make sure that everybody is represented and that they have representation going into the hearing so the judges get the best information to go forward with these cases," said Connie Hickman Tanner of the Arkansas Administrative Office of the Courts in Little Rock. "That's the most important thing." Lawyers will be on hand for parents who are eligible for court-appointed counsel. Tanner said to qualify, the parents must first request a lawyer, be found unable to pay for a lawyer and be the parent of a child taken into state custody in the case. Tanner said some of the parents of the 20 children have already called asking for help. Alamo was arrested in September, days after his compound in Fouke was raided by state and federal agents. Six girls, between ages 10 and 17, were seized for their own protection after the raid. Hearings continue over whether those girls can return to their parents. Alamo faces federal charges that he took minors across state lines for sex. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges and has repeatedly said he is innocent, placing blame on a federal push to legalize same-sex marriage while outlawing polygamy. The evangelist, previously convicted of tax evasion, has said "consent is puberty" when it comes to sex with young girls. Allegations of sexual abuse, physical abuse and neglect prompted the Arkansas Department of Human Services to seek court orders from judges in Miller and Sebastian counties authorizing the removals. Alamo's defense attorney, John Wesley Hall Jr. of Little Rock, delivered a letter to the Administrative Office of the Courts on Thursday requesting lawyers from other areas of the state. Hall's letter also asked that "somebody responsible be at court on Monday" to provide oversight. When attorneys are appointed for parents in civil custody cases, they must meet certain qualifications, Tanner said. The Administrative Office of the Courts contracts with private attorneys to act as parent counsel and as ad litem attorneys for children. Ad litem attorneys are appointed to act on behalf of a child or other person who is not considered capable of representing themselves. Tanner said she may have to take a bigger dip into her budget this year to help pay the expenses of the traveling attorneys. The order to remove the children is believed to be among the largest orders of its kind in Miller County history. Nevertheless, more than 100 children listed on the order were not found. Authorities are trying to determine their locations, said DHS spokesman Julie Munsell. The local legal community would be hard pressed to serve the needs of all the children and parents involved. The Administrative Office of the Courts is taking steps to ensure lawyers are available for all who need them, though only a judge can appoint an attorney to a case. Each of the "sibling sets" among the most recently seized children will be appointed an ad litem attorney. The additional ad litem lawyers needed to represent the 20 will come from all over the state, Tanner said. Custody of the 20 children is scheduled to be addressed in a single case. However, Johnson could decide to separate the cases into multiple actions. Information for this article was contributed by The Associated Press.
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