Budget Message from the Chief Justice
The Chief Justice sent all employees a message the end of September outlining the Supreme Court's legislative budget request for the 2011-2013 biennium. The message concluded with:

"We thank you for the hard work and the sacrifices you have made during this fiscal year. And we also thank you for the hard work and sacrifices you will need to make in the next biennium. Because of you, we have an outstanding court system and we will fight to keep it that way. By working together we can continue to provide the good services that Nebraskans expect and deserve from their court system."

Click here for the full message.

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Constitution Day
On Constitution Day (Friday, September 17) Professor Don Hickey, Wayne State College, portrayed Founding Father Alexander Hamilton before audiences of middle school and high school students. The program originated from the Lifelong Learning Center (LLC) on the Northeast Community College Campus in Norfolk. Justice John Gerrard of the Nebraska Supreme Court introduced “Hamilton” to the students and Judge Donna Taylor, representing the 7th Judicial District, welcomed students and their teachers.

Click here to read more. To view a slideshow of event, click here.


Judge Randall Featured in NJC Magazine
The 2010 issue of the National Judicial College Magazine ran an article on efficient courtrooms and handheld devices.  A portion of the article included excerpts from Judge Gary Randall’s NPR interview on ‘Talk of the Nation.’  Click here to read the article and Judge Randall’s interview.

Overview for Journalists Held in Norfolk
Reporters from as far as Hastings and Omaha attended the journalist seminar held in Norfolk on Thursday, September 16, 2010.  Judicial representatives of Judicial Districts 6 and 7 gathered in the City Council Chambers for the afternoon session, Nebraska’s Trial Courts:  An Overview for Journalists.  Presenters included Justice John Gerrard, Nebraska Supreme Court; Kevin O’Hanlon, Associated Press; Kari Rumbaugh, Probation Administration; Judge Donna Taylor, County Court; and Judge Bob Ensz, District Court.  Panelists included the presenters and Judges Richard Krepela, Douglas Luebe, Ross Stoffer, and Retired Judge Patrick Rogers.

Journalists were given background information on PSIs, bond setting, sentencing, court structure, and internet resources.

Click here to view a slideshow of event.

Through the Eyes of the Child
The Through the Eyes of the Child Initiative recently held its 2010 Regional Conferences in Scottsbluff, Hastings, Norfolk, and Lincoln.  Attended by over 300 team members and court stakeholders, the regional conferences focused on the three priorities of the Initiative: to improve timeliness to reunification, to better respond to substance-abusing parents, and to improve parenting time.  Data newly-released at the regional conferences shows that between 2008 and 2009, the time to case closure of all abuse/neglect cases decreased from 23 months to 18 months. These trainings, and all other trainings hosted by the Initiative, will become available online for credit.

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eFiling Wins National Recognition
The newest online service provided by the Nebraska Administrative Office of the Courts has been recognized by the Center for Digital Government in its annual Digital Government Achievement Awards (DGAA). The Nebraska Judicial Branch Internet Payment System (ePayments) received honorable mention in the State Government to Citizen category. The comprehensive electronic court payments system was launched in July of 2009 in a few pilot courts. It now allows citizens and businesses to make a payment in any of the 185 trial courts within the JUSTICE system. Thousands of payments have already been made and over $1.5 million has been collected online.

Click here to read full release.

Office of Dispute Resolution – Redesigned Web Site and Annual Report
The ODR page on the Nebraska Supreme Court Web site has been redesigned for easier use by judges and court staff. On its home page is a “For the Courts” portal to access court-connected mediation resources. This page includes a list of Approved Parenting Act Mediators which is sorted by name, by city/town, by affiliation, and by court judicial district. Since a year ago, the number of approved mediators has doubled. There are now over 100 mediators serving Nebraska, active in all 12 judicial districts. Any court-ordered parenting mediation must be to an approved Parenting Act mediator to ensure quality and fidelity to the child-centered family justice principles under the Act.

Click here for the recently posted Annual Report for 2008-2009. Please note that page 7 reports that 54% of last year’s 2,389 mediation cases were referred to the ODR-approved mediation centers by Nebraska trial judges. This is a significant leap in court-referred cases; up over 26% over the prior four years. The increase is due in large part from (a) the increasing number of district court referrals for parenting plan mediation under the Parenting Act and (b) the growing use of facilitated prehearing conferences in child abuse and neglect cases by county and juvenile judges. At last year’s regional mediation conference, Nebraska judges stated “mediation has cut the court docket by at least a fourth; I couldn’t handle the volume without it” and “mediation worked in a highly contentious divorce case, with the parties exclaiming it was the best court experience they ever had.”

Contact Debora Brownyard, Director, ODR, 402-471-2766, debora.brownyard@nebraska.gov.

Probation
Promising Outcomes from the Nebraska Juvenile Service Delivery Project
Since June 1, 2009, the Nebraska Juvenile Service Delivery Project has been piloted in Douglas County.  The Office of Probation Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services collaborated on this innovative project to provide the court with additional dispositional options for services to juveniles who are eligible for probation. After a year of utilization by the Separate Juvenile Court of Douglas County, the Nebraska Juvenile Service Delivery Project is showing promising outcomes.

June 1, 2009, to August 31, 2010:

• 334 juveniles served
• 78 different levels of care utilized
• substance abuse treatment
• mental health treatment
• out-of-home placements
• non-treatment support services 
• 86% of juveniles remain in their family homes while receiving community-based services
• 74% of juveniles released have been successful

The judiciary in Douglas County has actively used the Project to significantly reduce cases requiring dual supervision from both Probation and DHHS.

• June 2009: 15% of the Probation population was dually supervised
• August 2010: 4% is dually supervised

Other benefits to the judiciary are:

• Case management and service delivery is provided by one agency; therefore reducing dual supervision between DHHS and Probation.    
• All community-based services are being utilized instead of contracting for services.
• Barriers are reduced when accessing targeted services.
• Service delivery is expedited at disposition.
• Youth are being served at a lower, less restrictive, less costly level of care.

Outcomes from the Nebraska Juvenile Service Delivery Project will promote discussions surrounding service access and its benefits to the judiciary statewide.

Contact Corey Steel, Juvenile Justice Programs Specialist, 402-471-4976, corey.steel@nebraska.gov.

Counsel for Discipline
Lawyer's Ethics Advisory Opinion Released
The Counsel for Discipline has released an Opinion regarding whether or not a lawyer can represent both a driver and passenger in an automobile accident.  Click here to read the Opinion 10-05 on the Judicial Branch Web site.

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Supreme Court Employee Recognition Award Winners for 2010
The 2010 Supreme Court Employee Recognition Program award winners are as follows:

• Outstanding Trial or Appellate Court Employee  – Kris M. Riekenberg

• Outstanding Probation Employee (Jean Miller Memorial Award for Probation Support Staff) – Debi Hazy

• Outstanding Probation Officer (LaDonna Snell Probation Officer Award) – Rick C. DeKlotz

• Outstanding Court Supervisor/Administrative Employee – Lori Miskimins

• Outstanding Probation Supervisor (Bob Keller Memorial Award for Probation Supervisor) – Shane H. Stutzman  

• Outstanding Customer Service in the Courts – shared by Kathleen Hein and Darla Schiefelbein

• Innovation Award – Sheryl Connolly

• Outstanding Team  – JUSTICE Team (Bill Miller, Sue Nieto, Paula Crouse, Laurayne R. Hall, Sherri A. Dennis, Gretchen Wiebe, Kristi Kreuscher, and Leigh Thomas)

• Employee of the Year – Dave Cote

These employees will be honored at a recognition ceremony on October 4, 2010, at the State Capitol with Chief Justice Mike Heavican, Court Administrator Janice Walker, Probation Administrator Ellen Brokofsky and invited guests.  A reception will follow at the Governor’s Mansion. 

Congratulations to all award winners and thank you to every one who submitted nominations.

Hon. Samuel V. Cooper Passes
Former Douglas County Court Judge Samuel V. Cooper passed away on September 5, 2010, in Omaha.  Cooper was elected a Douglas County Judge in 1972, where he remained until his retirement in 2005. After retiring from the bench, he volunteered his time with the Douglas County Prosecutor's office.

New Probation Personnel
Andrea Gunia, Probation Officer, District #6, South Sioux City, effective August 16, 2010.
Kathryn Hanson, part-time AmeriCorps Program Specialist, District #5, Wahoo, effective September 1, 2010.
Melissa Kramer, part-time AmeriCorps Program Specialist, District #8, O’Neill, effective September 1, 2010.
Olivia McInturf, part-time AmeriCorps Program Specialist, District #10, Holdrege, effective September 1, 2010.
Kathleen Wagoner-Wiese, part-time AmeriCorps Program Specialist, District #10, Hastings, effective September 1, 2010.
Susan Bates-Oliva, AmeriCorps Program Specialist, District #11, McCook, effective September 1, 2010.
Kelsey Christensen, AmeriCorps Program Specialist, District #6, Fremont, effective September 1, 2010.
Carra Anderson, AmeriCorps Program Specialist, District #6, South Sioux City, effective September 1, 2010.
Mia Rickman, AmeriCorps Program Specialist, District #9, Grand Island, effective September 3, 2010.
Jannelle Seim, Probation Officer, District #5, Columbus, effective September 7, 2010.
Rachel Padgett, AmeriCorps Program Specialist, District #9, Kearney, effective September 13, 2010.
Chassidy Veik, part-time AmeriCorps Program Specialist, District #7, Norfolk, effective September 20, 2010.
Khara Maertins, part-time AmeriCorps Program Specialist, District #7, Norfolk, effective September 20, 2010.
Tasha Ann Triplett, AmeriCorps Program Specialist, District #1, Beatrice, effective September 20, 2010.

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Judicial Resources Commission
New members have been appointed to the Judicial Resources Commission. Click here to view the membership listing.

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Proposed Rule Amendments For Comment
Proposed Amendments to Neb. Ct. R. §§ 6-401 through 6-418 (E-Filing Rules)
(comment period ends December 1, 2010)

Rule Amendments (made within the last 90 days)
Acceptable Use Policy for Computer and Internet Use
Nebraska Supreme Court Personnel Policies - Acceptable Use Policy for Computer and Internet Use
(approved September 15, 2010)

Local Court Rules
Rules of Practice and Procedure in the Separate Juvenile Court of Lancaster County, Nebraska
(approved September 9, 2010; effective October 1, 2010)

Rules of the District Court of the Ninth Judicial District
(approved September 9, 2010)

Rules of the District Court of the Fourth Judicial District
(approved September 9, 2010)

Rules of the District Court of the Third Judicial District
(approved September 9, 2010)

Neb. Ct. R. Ch. 6, Art. 15, Appendix 3 (Uniform District Court Rules of Practice and Procedure)
(adopted September 9, 2010)

(All Local Trial Court Rules can be found on the External Rules page.)

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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.
• Stenographer Transcription Reports: Due by the 10th 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.
• Expense Vouchers: Submit on a monthly basis (rather than combining several months of expenses on one voucher).

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Requests for Transcription
Please remember that ALL transcription requests should be sent to:

Linda Mitchell
Assistant Clerk I
Antelope County Court
P.O. Box 26
Neligh, NE 68756
402-887-4650 Phone
402-887-4160 FAX
linda.mitchell@nebraska.gov

Find the new Request for Transcription form at: http://www.supremecourt.ne.gov/forms/administrative/request-transcription.pdf

Contact Judy Beutler, Deputy Court Administrator, 402-471-2921, judy.beutler@nebraska.gov.

2010 Judicial Evaluation Poll Timeline
Bar Poll results, profiles, and photos are re-released to the media on October 11, 2010.

For a voter’s guide to Nebraska retention elections click here.

Scroll down to the resources section for a listing of judges slated for retention election in 2010 with an online judicial profile.

Contact Janet Bancroft, Public Information Officer, 402-471-3205, janet.bancroft@nebraska.gov.

Publication Ordering Available Online
Court staff may order publications from the Administrative Office of the Courts and Probation (AOC/P) online at www.nebraska.gov/courts/ordering/order.cgi. The AOC/P’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.

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