Nebraska District Court Judge James C. Stecker of Seward, Nebraska, was invited to sit with the Nebraska Supreme Court on May 24, 2022.

Stecker heard arguments in the case of In re Trust of Matthews (S-21-0507).  In this case, a bequest was made through a revocable trust in three equal shares to the Visiting Nurses Association, Salvation Army, and Pella Evangelical Lutheran Church (Pella).  When Pella ceased to exist, the Nebraska Synod of the Evangelical Church in America (Nebraska Synod) sought to intervene and take Pella’s share. The county court found that Nebraska Synod had not met its burden to be a charitable successor to Pella. 

He 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.    

May 24, 2022, oral arguments can be viewed on the Court’s archive.

Reporters:

• Judicial Profile for Judge James C. Stecker
• Background on the Supreme Court
• Justices of the Nebraska Supreme Court

Screenshot from argument session on Nebraska Public Media:

(L to R) Justice Jonathan Papik, Justice Stephanie Stacy, Judge James Stecker, Chief Justice Mike Heavican, Justice William Cassel, Justice Jeff Funke, and Justice John Freudenberg. Arguing before the Court is attorney Zachary Lutz-Priefert Recording Court arguments is Nate Dobbs.