Nebraska District Court Judge Julie D. Smith of Tecumseh, Nebraska, was invited to sit with the Nebraska Supreme Court on January 6, 2022.

Smith heard arguments in the case of Nationwide Transportation, Inc. v. Navistar, Inc. (S-20-0579). The case is a contract dispute involving the purchase of trucks where Navistar disputes the judgment entered in favor of Nationwide and Jasper on their claims of fraudulent concealment and breach of warranty, while Nationwide and Jasper dispute the damages awarded for not conforming to the jury’s verdict.

She 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 January 6, 2022, oral arguments can be viewed on the Court’s archive.

Reporters:

• Judicial Profile for Judge Julie Smith.
• Background on the Supreme Court
• Justices of the Nebraska Supreme Court

Screen shot from argument session on Nebraska Public Media:

(L to R) Justice Jonathan Papik, Justice Stephanie Stacy, Judge Julie Smith, Chief Justice Mike Heavican, Justice William Cassel, Justice Jeff Funke, and Justice John Freudenberg. Arguing before the Court is attorney Jessica Z. Barger of Houston, Texas. Recording Court arguments is Nate Dobbs.