Patty Lyon, Chief Probation Officer for the 6th Judicial District, utilized her extensive community connections to put the Chief Justice in direct contact with the people of the 6th Judicial District during his August 2023 Summer Tour. She organized presentations at the South Sioux Reporting Center, reached out to the tribal government in Winnebago, organized social events, and commandeered a radio program in Fremont to help the Supreme Court convey their messages of transparency and partnership.   

Separate Juvenile Court Judge Elise White, Lincoln; County Court Judge Frank Barron, Blair; and District Court Judge Jodi Nelson, Lincoln, were announced as the 2023 Distinguished Judge Award recipients by Chief Justice Mike Heavican. 

Homecoming enthusiasm filled the Minden High auditorium with school spirit as students, attorneys, and Supreme Court justices settled in for arguments in the case of Justeen Williams (Appellant) v. Scott Frakes, in his official capacity as Director, Nebraska Department of Correctional Services, et al. (Appellee).  The appeal was from the District Court for Lancaster County.

Clerk Magistrate Ellen Faltys and Clerk of the District Court Minda McKitrick welcomed the 2023 Chief Justice’s summer tour group to Schuyler with multiple events: a language-based tour of the courthouse, demonstration of language access options in the courtroom, a 50th anniversary of interpretation in the courts proclamation signing ceremony, and a luncheon celebration honoring bilingual employees. 

Thank you, Ellen and Minda, for a great first day on the Chief Justice’s Summer Tour. Your skills in event management served the group well.

In observance of the holiday, Court and Probation Offices will be closed on 10/9/2023.

The University of Nebraska – Omaha’s (UNO) Milo Bail Student Center was filled with college and Omaha area high school students as the Nebraska Court of Appeals prepared to celebrate Constitution Day.

In commemoration of events on September 17, 1787, the Nebraska Court of Appeals took their “College Campus Initiative” to the UNO campus on Friday, September 15, 2023. Court of Appeals judges divided themselves into their customary morning and afternoon panels, each comprised of three judges, to hear argument sessions with two cases each.

In July 2023, Case Monitor Jan Kirk proudly marked a remarkable milestone: an impressive 55 years of unwavering dedication to serving the probation community in Lancaster County. Throughout her career, Jan has been hailed as a beacon of tenacity, tirelessly advocating for her clients, and showcasing an unparalleled capacity to work with individuals facing the most challenging circumstances.

The State of Nebraska clerk magistrates gathered for their fall conference at the Embassy Suites in Lincoln, September 20-22, 2023. Approximately 77 individuals participated in the two-and-a-half-day conference where they earned 11.5 hours of education credits. A few of the highlighted topics covered were Ethics, State Audit Procedures, Jury Management, and Courtroom Technology Upgrades. A special roundtable session was held where clerk magistrates were able to share their individual court office blueprints and various resources available in their areas.

The Language Access Operations Team: Adrian Hinojosa, Olivia Brockman, and Kari Corkle, ensured equal access to justice for court clients and witnesses with limited English proficiency in Nebraska in June 2023, despite facing an unexpected shortage of contract interpreters.

Hinojosa and Brockman served as the primary in-person Spanish interpreters at Douglas and Sarpy County Courthouses, while also providing remote support to the entire state. Alongside Coordinator Kari Corkle, they worked tirelessly to create a no-excuse environment while maintaining services.

In honor of Constitution Day, the Nebraska Court of Appeals will be in session on the campus of the University of Nebraska - Omaha (UNO) on Friday, September 15, 2023.

The six Court of Appeals judges will divide into their customary morning and afternoon panels with three judges per session. Morning arguments begin with an introductory presentation at 9:00 a.m. and afternoon court starts at 1:00 p.m. in the Milo Bail Student Center on the Omaha campus.