Judge C. Jo Petersen presided over the swearing-in ceremony of Butler County’s new clerk magistrate, Deanne Uhrmacher. The ceremony was held August 31, 2020, in the county courtroom in David City. Uhrmacher began her work as Clerk Magistrate on May 11, 2020, but the ceremony was delayed in response...

A swearing-in ceremony for Katherine Armbruster, Clerk Magistrate of the Stanton County Court, was held August 28, 2020, in the county courtroom in Stanton, Nebraska. Judge Michael Long hosted the ceremony. Armbruster previously worked as a records clerk for the court. She began her clerk magistrate...

On August 6, 2020, the Governor signed into law LB1008 providing appropriations to establish Nebraska’s first Mental Health Court and expanding capacity for individuals to be served in Nebraska’s only Young Adult Court. Mental Health Court Pilot National research has supported mental health courts...

Scotts Bluff County District Judges Andrea Miller and Leo Dobrovolny; County Judges Jamie Worden and Kris Mickey; Clerk of District Court Darla Simpson; and Clerk Magistrate Dianne Lana worked closely to coordinate a consistent pandemic response for Scotts Bluff County in both county and district...

Packing overnight bags and preparing cases to be heard in front of hundreds of college and high school students has become an annual ritual for Court of Appeals judges each September. But not in 2020. During the pandemic, the Court’s annual celebration of Constitution Day may have been upended, but...

Educational Materials Designed for Nebraska’s K-12 Students Online educational activities for students in kindergarten through high school are being offered by the Nebraska State Bar Foundation just in time for Constitution Day, an annual recognition of the signing of the U.S. Constitution on Sept...

Although interrupted by COVID-19 concerns, the second session of the 106th Legislature reconvened on July 20 and adjourned for the year on August 13. Legislative topics that impact the judicial branch this year include county court civil procedures, removal of e-filing barriers, and juries. In...

The National Association of Probation Executives (NAPE) has honored Nebraska State Probation Administrator, Deborah A. Minardi, with their 2020 leadership award. The award, presented on August 25, 2020, is based on demonstrated leadership qualities of those who participate in the National...

The need for court interpreters continues to increase across the state of Nebraska, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Limited English proficient court and probation users rely upon Nebraska’s qualified court interpreters to tell their own stories in their own words. The Language Access Team...

Chief Probation Officer Jodi York announced her retirement effective October 2, 2020, after over 25 years of service to the Judicial Branch. In a letter announcing her departure, York noted, “I literally grew up in this system and, for 25 years, I have enjoyed my career. We have changed so much over...