2019-2020 Workgroups
During this year’s leadership council meeting, the Chief Justice appointed five work groups to complete projects before May 2020.  Each work group is comprised of two new-leader judge co-chairs, one committee chair/liaison, and one administrative staff member for support services.

The groups are:

WORK GROUP 1: Protection Orders – Creating an Accommodating Courtroom for Protection Order Applicants
COMMITTEE: Self-Represented Litigation
Committee/Commission Chairperson: Judge Frankie Moore
Work group Co-chairs: Judges Stephanie Hansen and George Thompson

Staff: Sheryl Connolly & Mike Nehe, Domestic Violence Programs and Services Specialist

WORK GROUP 2: Addressing the Increasing Number of High Conflict Cases Returning to Court
COMMITTEE: Dispute Resolution Council
Committee/Commission Chairperson: Judge Mike Pirtle
Work group Co-chairs: Judges John Marsh and John Rademacher

Staff: Debora Denny, Office of Dispute Resolution

WORK GROUP 3: Post Release Supervision - Evaluation of Pending Legislation and Implementation
COMMITTEE: Probation Services Committee
Committee/Commission Chairperson: Judge Jodi Nelson
Work group Co-chairs: Judges Rick Schreiner and Stefanie Martinez

Staff: Deb Minardi and Deputy Probation Administrators

WORK GROUP 4: Mentoring of New Attorneys
SUPREME COURT LIAISON: Justice Jonathan Papik – MCLE and Attorney Services
Committee/Commission Chairperson: Justice Jonathan Papik
Work group Co-chairs: Judges Derek Vaughn and Tom Zimmerman

Staff: Carole McMahon-Boies, Attorney Services

WORK GROUP 5: Evaluation of the Judicial Evaluation Poll
COMMITTEE: Judicial Branch Education and Court Services
Committee/Commission Chairperson: Judge Riko Bishop
Work group Co-chairs: Judges Matt Acton and Julie Martin

Staff: Christine Christopherson & Court Services

Each work group will research their respective projects throughout the upcoming year and report their findings and conclusions at the 2020 meeting.

Committee/Commission Reports

The following committees and commissions provided updated reports of their activities throughout the past year – review reports on the Judicial Branch INTRANET (login required)(https://supremecourt.nebraska.gov/intranet-home/chief-justice%E2%80%99s-leadership-conference):

Committee/Commission Reports

• Access to Justice Committee, Justice Stephanie Stacy
  • Civil Justice Reform, Justice Jonathan Papik (contained in Access to Justice Report)
  • Equity and Fairness, Judge Stefanie Martinez (contained in Access to Justice Report)
  • Language Access, Justice John Freudenberg (contained in Access to Justice Report)
  • Self-Represented Litigation, Judge Frankie Moore (contained in Access to Justice Report)
• Statewide Court Security Clearinghouse, Justice John Freudenberg
• Commission on Guardianship/Conservatorship, Judge Todd Hutton 
• Children in the Courts, Judge Larry Gendler 
• Dispute Resolution, Judge Mike Pirtle 
• Judicial Branch Education, Judge Riko Bishop 
• PEOPLE Media/Community Outreach- Bench Media, Justice Jeff Funke 
• Probation Services, Judge Jodi Nelson 
• Problem Solving/Drug Courts, Judge Jim Doyle 
• Technology, Justice William Cassel 
• ·Workers Compensation Court, Judge Dan Fridrich 

Photo: Chief Justice visits with Protection Order subcommittee of the Self-Represented Litigant’s section on Creating an Accommodating Courtroom during work group session.