Nebraska District Court Judge Stefanie A. Martinez of Papillion, Nebraska, was invited to sit with the Nebraska Supreme Court on January 5, 2022.

Martinez heard arguments in the case of Spratt v. Crete Carrier Corporation (S-21-0530) where the Workers’ Compensation Court awarded an employee of Crete Carrier Corporation future benefits for a lumbar spine injury.  When the employee was later treated for thoracic back pain, the Workers’ Compensation Court granted Crete’s petition to limit its liability for the injury.

She sat in place of Justice Stephanie Stacy, 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 5, 2022, oral arguments can be viewed on the Court’s archive.

Reporters:

Judicial Profile for Judge Stefanie Martinez
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, Judge Stefanie Martinez, Chief Justice Mike Heavican, Justice William Cassel, Justice Jeff Funke, Justice John Freudenberg, with Justice Lindsey Miller-Lerman participating via video conferencing. Arguing before the Court is attorney Brynne Holsten Puhl. Recording Court arguments is Nate Dobbs.