Nebraska Separate Juvenile Court Judge Linda S. Porter, Lancaster County, announced her retirement effective August 31, 2020.

In her announcement letter to the Governor, Porter stated, “It has been an honor and privilege to serve children and families in the state of Nebraska as a judge these last twenty-one years.” She continued, “I have appreciated beyond measure the dedication of my colleagues, as well as the attorneys, administrative staff, case workers and probation officers that continue to do this challenging and rewarding work to try and improve the lives of our children and families.”

Porter took the bench in 1999, where she also served as judge for the Family Drug Court from 2005 to 2009.

She has held several volunteer positions within the legal community and is currently chairperson of the Case Progression Standards Subcommittee of the Supreme Court Commission on Children in the Courts. Porter is also a member of the Supreme Court’s Probation Services Committee and serves on several ad hoc committees of the Nebraska Separate Juvenile Judges Association. 

Porter was awarded the Distinguished Judge for Service to the Community for her promotion of and teaching for the innovative ‘Teen Parents and the Law’ program.  She was honored for her deep commitment to protecting children, and her dedication to helping Nebraska families. The Distinguished Judge designation is the most prestigious award given by the Nebraska Chief Justice.

Porter is a Nebraska State Bar Foundation Fellow, an honor given by the legal community based on her integrity and character. Fellows are accredited by colleagues as leaders of the legal profession who contribute to the charitable and community education work of the Foundation.

After taking the bench in 1999, Porter was retained in her position by area voters, most recently in 2014. The first step in replacing Porter will be for the Judicial Resources Commission to call a meeting to determine whether or not, based on judicial workload statistics, her retirement creates a judicial vacancy on the Separate Juvenile Court bench. 

News Reporters:

Judge Porter’s Judicial Profile: https://supremecourt.nebraska.gov/hon-linda-s-porter-0

Replacing a Nebraska Trial Court Judge: https://supremecourt.nebraska.gov/media/reference