Judgeship

2015 - present
Judge of the District Court, 4th Judicial District
Douglas County

Experience

Education

Creighton University School of Law, Omaha, Nebraska, 2002
Juris Doctorate-Cum Laude

Spring Hill College, Mobile, Alabama, 1999
Masters of Business Administration, Emphasis in Finance

Spring Hill College, Mobile, Alabama, 1997
Bachelor of Science, Finance/Economics

Judicial/Law Related Activities

Nebraska Supreme Court Current and Prior Commission/Committees

Access to Justice Committee
Self-Represented Litigants Committee
Legislative Committee
Technology Committee
Nebraska Supreme Court Exhibits Work Group
Nebraska Self-Help Center Work Group
Nebraska Civil Justice Reform Work Group

Doulas County District Court Current and Prior/Committees

Douglas County Veterans Treatment Problem Solving Court Presiding Judge
Omaha Douglas County Space Steering Committee Member
Presiding Judge Douglas County District Court July 1, 2020 – July 1, 2021
Budget committee
Case assignment and case management committee
Continuity: personnel and education committee
Conciliation mediation: referee/child support/child support enforcement/ referee/protection orders committee
Court rules committee
Legislation committee
Probation community corrections committee
Problem-solving court committee
Technology information services committee
United Way court referral committee
Memorial committee

Professional Affiliations

Creighton University School of Law Advisory Board
Nebraska State Bar Association
Iowa State Bar Association
Florida Bar Association

United States District Court Iowa, 2008
Iowa Supreme Court, 2008
United States Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit, 2005
United States District Court Nebraska, 2005
United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, 2003
Nebraska Supreme Court, 2003
United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, 2003
United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, 2002
Florida Supreme Court, 2002

Honors and Awards

2018 Nebraska State Bar Foundation Fellow:
Selection based on integrity and character.  Recognition to those dedicated to improvement of administration of justice.  Accredited as leaders who contribute to charitable and community education works of the foundation.

Law School Honors:
Graduated with honors – cum laude
Dean’s Honor Roll, Spring 2002
Rosemary M. Skrupa Award for Legal Clinical Education, May 17, 2002
Creighton University School of Law Outstanding Service to the Community Award, May 17, 2002
Champion American College of Trial Lawyers’ Nebraska State Trial Competition, 2002
Quarterfinalist Regional National Trial Competition, 2002
Member of the 2002 Abrahams Legal Clinic
Member of the 2002 Advanced Trial Practice Team
Cali Award in Defense of Criminal Cases §B, Spring 2002
Cali Award in Scientific Evidence, Fall 2001
Cali Award in Pre-trial Litigation §B, Fall 2001
Frances Ryan Scholarship
Volunteer Income Tax Assistant (VITA)
Mark D. Ridgely Memorial Award for Outstanding Community Service
Semi-finalist, Intramural Advanced Trial Practice Competition

Graduate School Honors:
Graduate Scholarship for Masters of Business Administration

Undergraduate Honors:
International Honor’s Society in Economics (ODE)

Presentations/Publications

2022 District Court Judges’ Summer Conference “Technology Panel” North Platte, Nebraska Best Western Plus Conference Center (June 9, 2022).

2022 District Court Judges’ Summer Conference “Criminal Law Updates” North Platte, Nebraska Best Western Plus Conference Center (June 9, 2022).

2021 Fall Judges’ Conference “Using Electronic Warrants” La Vista Conference Center (October 15, 2021).

2021 Fall Judges’ Conference “Judges Panel on the 1st Amendment” La Vista Conference Center (October 14, 2021).

Douglas County District Court “COVID-19 Presentation to the Douglas County Board for CARES ACT Funding”, Douglas County Commissioners, Legislative Chambers, 1819 Farnam Street, Omaha, NE  68183 (August 4, 2020).

Nebraska Association of Trial Attorneys’ Seminar “Practice Pointers” “View From the Bench Courtroom 410 Douglas County District Court”, Scott Conference Center, Omaha, Nebraska (December 6, 2019)

United States District Court Judge Joseph Bataillon’s Federal Court Circuit Conference “Federal and State Court Systems”, United States Federal District Court 4th Floor Conference Room, Omaha, Nebraska (July 29, 2019).

Nebraska Association for Translators & Interpreters (NATI), “Immigration 101”, 2017 18th Annual Regional Conference Bellevue University, Bellevue, Nebraska (August 5, 2017).

Nebraska Criminal Defense Attorneys Association (NCDAA), 3RD Annual Criminal Defense Boot Camp, View From the Bench Panel (August 4, 2017).

Bob Chaloupka Trial Skills Seminar (continued legal education), sponsored by Chaloupka, Holyoke, Snyder, Chaloupka, Longoria & Kishiyama, “The Impact of Immigration Issues on Our Criminal and Civil Cases”, Scottsbluff, Nebraska (November 14-15, 2013).

2010 Fall Judges’ Meeting, sponsored by Nebraska Judicial Branch Education (JBE), “Immigration Law”, La Vista, Nebraska (October 20, 2010).

Panel Palooza Part Deux 2010, sponsored by The Office of the Federal Public Defender for the District of Nebraska and the Nebraska State Bar Association, “They’re Coming to Take Me Away-Immigration Court 101 for Criminal Defense Lawyers”, Nebraska City, Nebraska (September 23-24, 2010).

Criminal Defense Fundamentals, sponsored by Nebraska State Bar Association and Nebraska Continuing Legal Education (NSBA & NCLE), “Effective Motions Practice”, Omaha, Nebraska (April 9, 2010).

Getting the Answer – Getting it Right: Immigration Law, sponsored by Nebraska State Bar Association and Nebraska Continuing Legal Education (NSBA & NCLE), “Relief from Removal”, La Vista, Nebraska (March 26, 2010).

“Defending Criminal Aliens in State Court”, Habeas Corpus – Nebraska Criminal Defense Attorneys Association Newsletter, Vol. 20 No. 8 (October 2005).

Revised January 2023