Reading the articles now it sounds like Kurt Valentine DID object in the hearing and didn't just sit back with his feet up:
"Attorney Kurt Valentine, who was appointed by the court to represent Alyssa during the juvenile process, had Heberle talk about how they would work to try and find a care program to fit what Alyssa would need, if she were kept as a juvenile offender.
The last witness Green called was Sgt. David Rice, an investigator with the Missouri Highway Patrol, who interviewed Alyssa after she was taken into custody.
Valentine argued that Rice's testimony would be more relevant to the process of finding innocence or guilt in this case and that was not what the certification hearing was about."
It says he was appointed by the court- and we know he's in private practice. There are programs where private lawyers volunteer through their law firms to defend indigent juveniles. That's what it sounds like this was. Also FYI if you make an appearance in a case, you become the attorney of record and you can't just leave your client usually without leave of court. So even though it looks "mean" that KV didn't stay for the arraignment, he couldn't (easily) have just represented her this one time and then left.