LINCOLN -- According to Supreme Court Justice Jeffrey J. Funke, the Judicial Nominating Commission for District Judge in the Sixth Judicial District (consisting of Burt, Cedar, Dakota, Dixon, Dodge, Thurston and Washington Counties) held its first public hearing on the qualifications of four candidates who previously submitted their names to fill the vacancy in the office of District Judge due to the resignation of Judge Paul J. Vaughan.  Article V, § 21(1) of the Nebraska Constitution requires that a nominating commission must present to the Governor “a list of at least two nominees” to fill a judicial vacancy. At the conclusion of the public hearing on July 9, 2019, a majority of the voting members of the Commission was unable to agree to advance two names of candidates to the Governor. The constitutional requirement cannot be met in this case. Therefore, in accordance with Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-810(3), the Commission shall institute a search for additional candidates to fill the vacancy.

A second public hearing shall be held in the District Court Courtroom at the Dakota ­­­­County Courthouse, 1601 Broadway Street, Dakota City, Nebraska, beginning at 10 a.m. on Thursday, September 12, 2019.  The primary office location of this vacancy will be in either Dakota City, Dakota County, Nebraska; Ponca, Dixon County, Nebraska; or Hartington, Cedar County, Nebraska, at the option of the judge selected to fill the vacancy, but to provide maximum service to all areas of the judicial district, the judge who fills the vacancy will be required to regularly sit in Dakota, Dixon, and Cedar Counties, and elsewhere as circumstances may require. Pursuant to the 2018 Caseload Report, of the cases filed in Dakota, Dixon and Cedar Counties, 71% of the cases were filed in Dakota County and as a result, the judge who fills the vacancy will be required to dedicate sufficient time in Dakota County to address those cases. At the hearing, the Commission will receive information on the qualifications of candidates to fill the vacancy in the office of District Judge due to the resignation of Paul J. Vaughan.

The public is welcome to attend the hearing and present information concerning candidates for the judicial opening.  Persons, if any, wishing to publicly comment favorably on qualifications should attempt to coordinate with the candidates.  Public comments, if any, in opposition to candidates will be received at the hearing.  Individuals interested in applying for the position can obtain a Judicial Vacancy Application package from the Nebraska Judicial Branch Web site at https://supremecourt.nebraska.gov/attorneys/judicial-vacancy.  Completed applications may be submitted electronically or by hard copy and must be received no later than 4:00 p.m., Thursday, August 22, 2019.

A listing of the members of the Judicial Nominating Commission can be found on the Nebraska Judicial Branch Web site at https://supremecourt.nebraska.gov/administration/committees-commissions/judicial-nominating-commission-sixth-district-county-district-court.

For special accommodations relating to the Americans with Disabilities Act, please call (402) 471-3730.  Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing, please call the Nebraska Relay System, 7-1-1. AA/EOE.