Nebraska District Court Judge George A. Thompson from Papillion, Nebraska, joined the Nebraska Supreme Court on February 8, 2024, via Zoom for arguments in the case of S-21-0074, Continental Resources v. Fair.

In that case, Appellant argued that Nebraska’s tax certificate statutes were unconstitutional, and on appeal, the Nebraska Supreme Court determined the statutes to be constitutional.  See Continental Resources v. Fair, 311 Neb. 184, 971 N.W.2d 313 (2022).  On further appeal to the Supreme Court of the United States, the Supreme Court of the United States vacated the Nebraska Supreme Court’s decision with directions that it reconsider the case in light of Tyler v. Hennepin County, 598 U.S. 631 (2023).

Thompson sat in place of Justice Lindsey Miller-Lerman, who was recused from the case. The Court session was held in the Supreme Court Courtroom of the Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln.

Seven justices make up the Nebraska Supreme Court: Chief Justice Mike Heavican and six associate justices. On occasion, a justice must recuse him or herself from a case, and a judge from a district court or the Court of Appeals is asked to sit with the Supreme Court.    

The February 8, 2024, oral arguments can be viewed on the Court’s archive.

Reporters:

• Judicial Profile for Judge George A. Thompson
• Background on the Supreme Court
• Justices of the Nebraska Supreme Court