Director of the Nebraska Office of Dispute Resolution, Debora Denny, J.D., announced her retirement effective June 30, 2019.

“It has been a great honor and my privilege to serve the people of the state of Nebraska as director for the Office of Dispute Resolution since 2005,” said Denny.  She continued, “Ever since graduating from UNL College of Law, my professional and personal goal has been to increase the ability of individuals to resolve their disputes voluntarily through mediation and restorative practices. This is particularly meaningful for children and families who are wanting to achieve a more peaceful and stable future when involved in family relationship struggles or juvenile justice challenges. In my years of mediating with people from all walks of life, I have seen how much individuals truly desire the ability to make their own choices and to have the ability to have a voice in what their future may be. Mediation, conflict resolution, and participating in a restorative dialogue provides that avenue for them.”

During Denny’s tenure, she worked with the judiciary and other stakeholders in achieving passage of several pieces of legislation, including the 2007 Parenting Act and the 2019 Restorative Justice Act. She increased the funding resources for mediation to indigent and low income parties by nearly $1 million dollars and wrote several successful grants for the Judicial Branch.

The Office of Dispute Resolution is housed under the Court Services Division of the Nebraska Court Administrator’s Office. The Office of Dispute Resolution was created by the Nebraska Legislature in 1991 to advance the use of mediation and alternative dispute resolution in courts and communities. Just this month, the Legislature passed LB595 to expand the Office’s scope and authority to advance the use of restorative justice. The Office operates by partnering with approved mediation centers, mediators, Nebraska’s courts and probation, and others involved with providing access to resolving disputes. The Dispute Resolution Advisory Council, appointed by the Nebraska Supreme Court, serves to oversee the activities of the Office.

Denny remarked, “I am truly grateful for the strong leadership that Chief Justice Mike Heavican and State Court Administrator Corey Steel have provided in this arena. And I’m humbly indebted to the professionalism and tireless efforts of the state’s six ODR-approved mediation centers who are doing the good work for Nebraska’s residents.”