Oral Arguments on Web Site
Beginning with the September 2008 term of the Nebraska Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, digital audio files of court proceedings will be made available to the public over the Internet through the Judicial Branch Web site.

Arguments will be uploaded to the “Supreme Court” and “Court of Appeals” sections of the Judicial Branch Web site, www.supremecourt.ne.gov, under the button Oral Argument Archive.

Click here for full press release.

Resources for Courts Participating in National Adoption Day
The Judicial Branch Web site now hosts a resource page for National Adoption Day. The page includes an overview of Nebraska’s Adoption Day programs including a six-minute narrated slide show featuring past Nebraska celebrations. (Note: the QuickTime selection takes longer to load but displays higher quality photos.)

This year’s celebration is Saturday, November 15, 2008.

Participation in National Adoption Day dovetails with the court system’s project priorities under the “Through the Eyes of the Child” Initiative and the Supreme Court's Commission on Children in the Courts. Please consider joining Omaha, Lincoln and Hastings in raising awareness of the children in need of adoptive families by organizing National Adoption Day celebrations in your own community.

Click here to view the National Adoption Day resource page.

Through the Eyes of the Child Initiative
2008 Regional Conferences
Registration for the 2008 "Through the Eyes of the Child" Initiative regional conferences is now available online.  For more information on the conferences or to register, click here. Dates and locations are:

1. Panhandle, Bridgeport, September 18th
2. East, Omaha, September 19th
3. Central East, Kearney, September 25th
4. Central West, North Platte, September 26th

All stakeholders are invited.  Breakfast and lunch will be provided. 

Online Video from 2008 Lecture Series
Video from the 2008 Lecture Series presentations are available for viewing online.  Presentations include Visitation for Children Placed Out of Home, Helping Babies from the Bench, and Getting the Most out of Psychological Evaluations in the Child Welfare Court System.  To view, click here.

Online Basic GAL Training Available
Basic mandatory GAL training is now available online in the GAL section at www.throughtheeyes.org.  Registration may be completed online.  Once all parts of the online training have been completed and an Online Training Completion form submitted, the guardian ad litem will be added to the Supreme Court list of trained guardians ad litem.

Helping Babies from the Bench Registration Open
Click here for registration information for the Helping Babies from the Bench series. This training series is comprised of all-day seminars focusing on the 0 to 3-year-old population in the court system and how courts and stakeholders can ensure the best possible outcomes for babies and toddlers.  All individuals with a stake in the child welfare court system are invited to attend, including judges, attorneys, caseworkers, clerks, school personnel, law enforcement, medical providers, foster families, treatment providers, CASA, FCRB, and court facilitators.  To view an agenda from the training in Sidney, click here. To view video from the training in Sidney, click here. Attendance will satisfy advanced GAL training credit requirements.

Back to top

In Memoriam
Former Douglas County District Judge James A. Buckley passed away. Buckley served on the bench from 1970 until his retirement in 1998.

Former Judge Neal H. Dusenberry, who retired from the Lancaster County Court bench in 1988, passed away August 22, 2008.

Judge Everett O. Inbody Reappointed as Chief Judge for Court of Appeals
Judge Rett Inbody has been reappointed Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals for a third term beginning September 13, 2008. Judge Inbody, originally appointed as Chief Judge in 2004, has recently overseen a successful administrative effort designed to significantly reduce the length of time that cases wait to be heard. Since June 2007, this effort has reduced the time that non-advanced civil cases are in the appellate system by more than eight months. Additionally, Judge Inbody maintains his work with the Supreme Court Commission on Children in the Courts which he co-chairs with Separate Juvenile Court Judge Douglas F. Johnson. The Commission provides guidance for the Judicial Branch in dealing with abused and neglected children within the court system. To read the full press release, click here.

Johnson President-elect of NCJFCJ
Judge Doug Johnson, Separate Juvenile Court in Omaha, was named president-elect of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) in August of this year. He will be sworn in as president at the organization’s conference in July 2009.

Johnson presides over Nebraska’s first family drug treatment court and was involved in starting Douglas County’s Court Appointed Special Advocates program and is presently co-chairman of the Supreme Court’s Commission on Children in the Courts.

National Judges Elect Omaha Judge Gary Randall
The National Conference of State Trial Judges (NCSTJ) has elected Douglas County District Court Judge Gary B. Randall as its Chair Elect. As Chair Elect, Judge Randall is the second ranking member of the NCSTJ’s leadership team. Judge Randall’s election occurred during the NCSTJ’s annual business meeting in New York City on August 9, 2008.

The National Conference of State Trial Judges seeks to improve the administration of justice; promote judicial independence; increase public understanding of the judicial system; provide a national forum to exchange information on common issues; and represent the interests of the nation’s general-jurisdiction trial judges in building a stronger, more effective system to resolve disputes.

Gless Published History of Nebraska Law
Seward County District Judge Alan Gless recently finished editing “The History of Nebraska Law’” to be released August 15, 2008, through Ohio University Press.

Chapters in the book focus on Native American law, women and Nebraska law, land use law, Unicameral legislation and Roscoe Pound.

New Probation Personnel
Michaela Michalski, Probation Officer, District #4, Omaha, effective August 4, 2008.
Patty Lyon, Problem-Solving Court Coordinator, District #16, Fremont, effective August 4, 2008.
Katherine Rieple, Probation Officer, District #4, Omaha, effective August 11, 2008.
Belisia Casebeer, Case Monitor, District #4, Omaha, effective August 19, 2008.
Lindsey Cheever, Probation Officer, District #18, Juvenile, Omaha, effective September 2, 2008.
Anthony Lawrence, AmeriCorps Program Specialist, District #2, Wayne, effective September 2, 2008.
Lori Redfield, AmeriCorps Program Specialist, District #12, Beatrice, effective September 2, 2008.
Christine Richter, Probation Officer, District #5, Papillion, effective September 8, 2008.
Kyle Estes, Probation Officer, District #5, Papillion, effective September 22, 2008.

Back to top

Judicial Resources Commission
The Judicial Resources Commission determined at their August 12, 2008, hearing that a judicial vacancy exists in the 8th judicial district. The principal office location will be in Valentine, Cherry County, Nebraska.

Judicial Nominating Commission
Application Deadline Set for County Court Judge Vacancy, 8th Judicial District
The Judicial Nominating Commission for County Judge in the 8th Judicial District will hold a public hearing on October 1, 2008. The Commission will receive information on the qualifications of candidates to fill the vacancy in the office of County Judge due to the death of Judge August F. Schuman. Click here to view the full press release.

Committee on Problem-Solving Courts
Hon. Gary Randall was appointed as a member of the Nebraska Supreme Court Committee on Problem-Solving Courts.

Back to top

Electronic Filing in Trial Courts
On August 12, 2008, the Nebraska Supreme Court adopted amendments to the electronic filing rule in trial courts regarding service of pleadings and other items. (Neb. Ct. R. § 6-401, § 6-402, § 6-404, and §§ 6-407 through 6-420). Click here to review the rule change.

Parenting Act Forms Updated and Uploaded to the Web Site
The full set of Parenting Act forms can be found on the Judicial Branch Web site under the horizontal menu "Court Community" under "Forms - Official Court." From the main forms page, click on "District Court Forms" and scroll down to the "Divorce" section. Click here for the forms index.

(Please note that the parenting plan forms are in the process of being updated and will have the word "SAMPLE" removed with the next rewrite.)

Presiding Judge Rule Amended
On August 27, 2008, the Nebraska Supreme Court adopted amendments to Neb. Ct. R. § 6-1459, Presiding Judges, changing terms of office and responsibilities for calling district meetings. Click here to view the amendment.

Back to top

Judicial Branch Education
2009 Education Dates Set
The schedule has been set for the following 2009 education meetings. Additional meeting dates will be provided when they are available.

• District Judges, Court Reporters and Clerks of the District Court: June 2 - 4, Kearney
• County Judges: June 24 - June 26, Grand Island
• Fall Judges' Meeting: October 14 - 16, Omaha

2010 Education Dates Set:
The schedule has been set for the following 2010 education meetings. Specific locations have yet to be determined. Additional meeting dates will be provided when they are available.

• District Judges:   June 9 - 11
• County Judges:   June 23 - 25

  Contact Carole McMahon-Boies, Director, JBE, 402-471-3072, cmcmahonboies@nsc.state.ne.us.

Probation Training Highlights
Congratulations to the following Probation staff on completing the Training Design and Development Course August 18 - 22, 2008:

District 4, Omaha:  Tammy Peterson, Justin Lauby, Darci Poland
District 6, Lincoln Adult:  Kyle Estes
District 12, Beatrice:  Amber Jurgens
District 16, Blair:  Brenda Zimmer
District 20, Lincoln Juvenile:  Danelle Reed
Administrative Office, Lincoln:  Toni Ahrendt, Julie Scott, Kim Bunch

The purpose of this course was to assist trainers in learning how to translate their leadership skills into the training setting, design and develop lesson plans and enhance their training skills.  These trainers worked on designing learner-centered lessons for: motivational interviewing, officer safety, juvenile intake, group facilitation and individual Nebraska Probation Management Information System (NPMIS) training for new officers.  These new lesson plans will be implemented later this year and early next year. 

Contact Monica Miles-Steffens, Probation Education Manager, 402-471-4486, monica.miles-steffens@nsc.ne.gov.

Pre-Release of Probation’s Specialized Substance Abuse Supervision (SSAS) First-Year Study
A recently completed evaluation of Probation’s Specialized Substance Abuse Supervision (SSAS) program shows promising trends by felony drug offenders involved in the program. The evaluation compared offenders involved in the SSAS program with similar offenders who did not participate in SSAS, but instead received a more traditional probation sentence.  To view the full press release on the SSAS evaluation, click here.

Back to top

Judicial Branch Education Meetings/Trainings
For a complete listing of Judicial Branch Education offerings, click here.

Contact Carole McMahon-Boies, Director, JBE, 402-471-3072, cmcmahonboies@nsc.state.ne.us.

Probation Education Meetings/Trainings
For a complete listing of Judicial Branch Education offerings, click here.

Contact Monica Miles-Steffens, Probation Education Manager, 402-471-4486, monica.miles-steffens@nsc.ne.gov.

Upcoming 2008 State Holidays
October 13, Columbus Day
November 11, Veteran's Day
November 27 – 28, Thanksgiving Day & Friday following
December 25, Christmas Day

2009 State Holidays
January 1, New Year's Day
January 19, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
February 16, Presidents' Day
April 24, Arbor Day
May 25, Memorial Day
July 3, Independence Day
September 7, Labor Day
October 12, Columbus Day
November 11, Veterans' Day
November 26 – 27, Thanksgiving Day & Friday following
December 25, Christmas Day

Filing and Reporting Requirements
•Statement for Payment of Interpreters: Interpreters to submit this between the 1st and 7th day of each month.
• Judges’ Cases Under Advisement Reports: Due by the 5th day of each month (reports are compiled and submitted to the Supreme Court).
• Court Reporter Timesheets: Due by the 5th day of each month (judges are to sign time sheets prior to submission).
• Permanently Assigned Vehicle Logs: Due by the 5th day of each month.
• Report of Probate Cases Pending: Due by the 10th day of each month.
• County Court Time Sheets: Due by the 10th day of each month.
• Stenographer Transcription Reports: Due by the 10th day of each month.
• Expense Vouchers: Submit on a monthly basis (rather than combining several months of expenses on one voucher).

Back to top

Publication Ordering Available Online
Court staff may now order publications from the Administrative Office of the Courts and Probation online at www.nebraska.gov/courts/ordering/order.cgi. The AOC’s most frequently ordered publications are available through the online order form. The selection includes jury brochures, small claims guides, parenting act booklets, the Citizen's Guide to Nebraska's Courts, judge’s adoption cards, and AOC court staff timecards.

Signature Blocks on Emails
Officials of the Administrative Office of the Courts appreciate court employees who have added the signature feature to their emails. It is a great help to those who work several towns or courthouses away from each other. Those individuals not already using a signature block may want to consider adding one to work email messages. To add a signature block, locate the 'options' button (usually near the file folder). Under 'options,' select the 'compose' button. Scroll down to the option for a 'signature.' Most employees include full name, title, address (both street address and P.O. Box, if applicable) and phone number. The email address may also be added; however, this may be redundant due to it being on the email itself.

Back to top