Judgeship

2017-Present
Judge of the Separate Juvenile Court, Douglas County

Experience

2007-2017
Partner, Finley & Kahler Law Firm, PC, LLO
Omaha, NE

2002-2007
Deputy County Attorney, Douglas County
Omaha, NE

2000-2002
Law Clerk and Attorney, Davis & Finley Law Offices
Omaha, NE

Education

University of Nebraska College of Law, 2002
Juris Doctorate

University of Nebraska, Lincoln, 1999
Bachelor’s Degree, Criminal Justice

Judicial/Law Related Professional Activities

Professional Affiliations
Nebraska State Bar Association, 2002-Present
Nebraska Juvenile Court Judges Association, 2017-Present
Inns of Court, 2014-Present
Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI)-Case Processing Subcommittee, 2012-Present (Co-chair 2012-2017)

Nebraska Supreme Court Commissions/Committees
Nebraska Supreme Court Commission on Children in the Courts-Case Progression Standards Subcommittee, 2016-Present
Nebraska Supreme Court Judicial Resources Commission, 2020-Present

Presentations

National:
National Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) Inter-site Conference, “Case Procession Reform in Douglas County, Nebraska,” April 2017, Orlando, Florida.

Statewide:
Nebraska Young Child Institute Conference, “Ethical Representation in Juvenile Court,” June 2016, Kearney, Nebraska.

Nebraska Judicial Branch 2019 Fall Judges’ Conference, “Juvenile Case Progression Standards and Reports,” October 2019, Omaha, Nebraska

Local:
Project Harmony Legal Summer Internship Program Training, “Introduction to Key Federal Juvenile Statutory and Case Law,” May 2019, May 2020.

Through the Eyes of the Child Training, “Douglas County Juvenile Court Attorney Training,” December 2019.

JDAI Case Processing Training, “Nuts and Bolts Seminar for Parent Representation Cases,” May 2017.

Speaking of Children Conference – Project Harmony, “Advanced Ethical Issues in Juvenile Court,” April 2017.

Inns of Court, ‘Current Topics in Criminal Justice Reform,” October 2019; “Judicial Stress,” September 2018; “Hearsay Exceptions,” January 2017; “Discovery Practices,” February 2016; “A Walk Through the Woods of Direct and Cross Examination,” February 2015.

Complex Issues in Juvenile Practice VII, “Evaluating Juvenile Adjudicative Competency,” October 2014.

JDAI Case Processing Training, “Introduction to Alternatives to Detention,” June 2014.

Omaha Bar Association Bench Bar Conference, “Juvenile Law Practice Tips,” May 2014.

Complex Issues in Juvenile Practice VI, “Ethical Advocacy in Juvenile Court,” October 2013.