Media Releases

Media Releases

November 17, 2023
Nebraska District Court Judge James E. Doyle, IV, was honored with the 28th Annual William H. Rehnquist Award for Judicial Excellence during an event at the Supreme Court of the United States Thursday. Chief Justice of the United States John G. Roberts, Jr., presented the award to the retired Dawson County jurist in front of about 200 honored guests and dignitaries. In his remarks, Chief Justice Roberts spoke of Chief Justice Rehnquist's devotion to his family and shared examples of his...Read more
November 8, 2023
The Council of Chief Judges of the State Courts of Appeal elected Nebraska Court of Appeals Judge Frankie Moore as the President-Elect of the Council at their annual conference in Charleston, South Carolina. Her one-year term began October 27, 2023, and she will automatically succeed to the office of President in November 2024. During the 2023-2024 term, she will work closely with the President, Judge Mark D. Pfeiffer of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District. The Council of Chief...Read more
November 3, 2023
The new Douglas County Justice Center, located at 1717 Harney Street, Omaha, will be open for an important adoption celebration on Saturday, November 18, from 8:30 a.m. to noon. National Adoption Day festivities will begin with a press conference at 8:30 a.m. in the first-floor conference room, immediately followed by adoption hearings in the juvenile courtrooms on floors 2 and 3. Judge Candice Novak is hosting the event this year with all juvenile judges holding adoption hearings. There are 42...Read more
October 25, 2023
MEDIA ADVISORY: Problem-Solving Court Graduation and Celebration WHAT: Central Nebraska Drug Court Graduation WHO: Judge Patrick Lee, Judge John Marsh, and Judge Morgan Farquhar will be presiding. WHEN: Friday, November 3, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. WHERE: Grand Island Law Enforcement Center 111 Public Safety Drive Grand Island, NE 68801 WHY: For problem-solving court graduates, the ceremony marks the completion of an intensive program of comprehensive behavioral health treatment, intensive community...Read more
October 23, 2023
Separate Juvenile Court Judge Elise White, Lincoln; County Court Judge Frank Barron, Blair; and District Court Judge Jodi Nelson, Lincoln, were announced as the 2023 Distinguished Judge Award recipients by Chief Justice Mike Heavican. During his noon address to Nebraska judges on October 18, 2023, Heavican recognized Judge White with the Service to the Community Award and Judges Barron and Nelson with the Improvement of the Judicial System Award. These awards acknowledge exceptional...Read more
October 23, 2023
Nebraska trial judges installed new association presidents during their annual meetings in late October. Presidential terms began on October 20, 2023. The associations and their newly appointed presidents are: Nebraska County Judges Association – Hon. Jeffrey M. Wightman, Lexington (top photo) Nebraska Separate Juvenile Judges Association – Hon. Mary M. Z. Stevens, Omaha (middle photo) Nebraska District Judges Association – Hon. Jodi L. Nelson, Lincoln (bottom photo) Each will serve until...Read more
October 20, 2023
The director of the Office of Dispute Resolution, Kelly Riley, collaborated with Kristen Blankley, the Henry M. Grether, Jr. Professor of Law at the University of Nebraska College of Law, to author an article for the American Bar Association’s Dispute Resolution Magazine. The article, “Providing Access to Mediation for Rural Participants Nebraska’s Story,” shares what a fictional mediation case in rural Nebraska might look like, addresses Nebraska’s commitment to mediation across the state, and...Read more
October 17, 2023
Kari Rumbaugh has been selected as Deputy Probation Administrator of the Nebraska Judicial Branch Juvenile Probation Services Division beginning October 16, 2023. Rumbaugh noted that she is honored to receive the promotion to Deputy Administrator saying, “I look forward to continuing my leadership and dedication to the probation system as I truly believe in the impact probation has on long-term behavior change and strengthening communities.” In her most recent role as Assistant Deputy...Read more
October 13, 2023
Seward County Court Clerk Magistrate Sheila Beins submitted her notice of retirement effective December 15, 2023. She will retire with 41 years of service to the courts. Beins began work with the Judicial Branch as a Records Clerk in 1982. She was named Associate County Judge in 1985. That position transitioned into the clerk magistrate position she holds today. Beins shared that in her time with the court, she has served only four judges: Judge Robert Cattle, Judge Alan Gless, Judge Jerry...Read more
October 13, 2023
Lindsay Meister, who previously worked as a paralegal for the Platte County Public Defenders Office, has been selected to serve as Platte County court Clerk Magistrate in Columbus. Meister began job training for the position on October 2, 2023. Her official work as Clerk Magistrate begins November 6, 2023. “Lindsay is a highly-motivated professional whose education and experience as a paralegal give her a good background for her new position as clerk magistrate,” according to Trial Court...Read more

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