The Supreme Court’s Committee on Problem-Solving Courts established a Reentry Court subcommittee in October 2016 to study the use and implementation of reentry courts in Nebraska.  This effort was in response to the Legislature’s establishment of post-release supervision and its endorsement of the expansion of problem-solving courts. 

The Reentry Court subcommittee began meeting on November 10, 2016, led by co-chairs District Court Judge Paul Vaughan and Pastor Ruth Karlsson, Executive Director of Released and Restored Prison Ministries. The subcommittee was formed with community stakeholders including service providers, researchers, and personnel from the courts, probation, parole, and the Nebraska Department of Corrections.

Under the direction of Judge Vaughan and Pastor Karlsson the subcommittee conducted a thorough and comprehensive evaluation of the existing literature and research concerning the operation of Reentry Courts in the United States. These efforts produced the best practice standards for Reentry Courts in Nebraska.

The subcommittee presented its work on April 19, 2017, at the Supreme Court’s Committee on Problem-Solving Courts meeting. The problem-solving court committee approved the report of the subcommittee and recommended the Supreme Court’s adoption of the subcommittee’s proposed standards.

The Nebraska Supreme Court approved the proposed best practice standards on June 20, 2017.  Current efforts are being made to start Reentry Courts in Nebraska, with the first court being approved in Grand Island, Nebraska.  For more information on problem-solving courts in Nebraska, please contact Adam Jorgensen at adam.jorgensen@nebraska.gov.

Problem solving court committee: https://supremecourt.nebraska.gov/nebraska-supreme-court-committee-problem-solving-courts

Read the Nebraska Rentry Court Standards: https://supremecourt.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/rule_amendments/NebReentryCourtStandards.pdf

Photo: District Court Judge Paul Vaughan, Co-Chair Reentry Court Subcommittee