Nebraska Chief Justice Michael G. Heavican will hold a proclamation signing ceremony announcing Nebraska Problem-Solving Court Month on behalf of the State Judicial Branch on Thursday, May 6, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. The ceremony will be streamed live from the State Capitol out of respect for social distancing.

The month of May is nationally identified as Drug Court Month. With the diverse programming offered through Nebraska courts, it is appropriate to recognize the efforts of all of Nebraska’s problem-solving courts by proclaiming May as Problem-Solving Court Month. Chief Justice Heavican will issue the proclamation announcing the significance of Nebraska’s system of problem-solving courts, urging all citizens – particularly those within the legal community – to take note of the occasion.

Problem-solving courts, which operate through the Nebraska Judicial Branch, are innovative court programs that combine intensive community-based supervision, judicial accountability, and behavioral health treatment to intervene against crime by addressing circumstances underlying criminal conduct. Judges, defense attorneys, prosecutors, supervision personnel, law enforcement, treatment providers, researchers, educators, and others dedicated to problem-solving courts work collaboratively to improve the lives of their participants and strengthen communities across the state.

Nebraska Educational Television will air the speech on NET2 as part of its regular legislative coverage, which can be viewed online: http://netnebraska.org/basic-page/television/live-demand (link will appear as Judiciary: Chief Justice Problem-Solving Court Proclamation Signing).