Administrative Memorandum 12-2 | February 2012
SPECIAL PROJECTS & EVENTS
Legislative Bill Tracking LB 576 – Establishes a cash fund and allows the Supreme Court to continue charging a handling fee for sales of statute books by the State Library housed in the Supreme Court. LB 748 – Relates to denial of a motor vehicle registration or operator’s license to a person with outstanding arrest warrants. LB 790 – Transfers a county judgeship from Judicial District 5 to Judicial District 3. LB 793 – Limits frivolous civil actions filed by prisoners. LB 862 – Judges salary bill. LB 904 – Changes the Vital Statistics Act reporting requirements for annulments and dissolutions of marriage. LB 908 – Changes the disposition of indigent defense court fees for counties of the metropolitan class. LB 916 – Retirement system changes. LB 933 – Changes provisions relating to truancy. LB 985 – Provides for the NE Juvenile Justice Service Delivery Project within the Office of Probation Administration. LB 996 – Changes provisions relating to compulsory attendance. Among the many other bills being tracked are several related to reform of the child welfare system. Debate on these bills began on February 27, 2012. These bills are on the full list that can be obtained from Janet Bancroft. Click the following links for helpful information: Swearing-in Ceremony Reinstated for Unsung Heroes of Probation Office Click to read Unsung Heroes, an Omaha Daily Record feature article on probation swearing-in. (Photo: Judge Mark Ashford, Omaha, talks with probation personnel after Omaha’s swearing-in ceremony.) |
March 1, 2012, is the 37th day of a 60-day session currently scheduled to end April 12, 2012. As of February 27, 2012, no legislative bills of interest to the Judicial Branch have been passed and signed into law by the Governor; however, the following list are a sample of the legislative bills being tracked by the Judicial Branch. For a full list of the bills or if you have any questions about any of these or other bills, please contact 
As public servants responsible for supervising individuals placed on probation and upholding their access to justice, probation officers are among the unsung heroes within the United States judicial branch.ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE COURTS & PROBATION
Judicial Branch Education Training Opportunities Court: Probation: JUSTICE Training County Court Racial and Ethnic Fairness in the Courts Save the Dates… JBE Staff Dates Set for Interpreter Training Interpreters for difficult-to-find languages will be recruited for orientation and encouraged to work toward certification. Please let Sheryl Connolly know of any language need that you may have, or any interpreter you may know whom you believe would be a good candidate for certification, and whom you would recommend for use by other courts. Interpreter Skillsbuilding Workshops are scheduled April 21 and 22, 2012, in Omaha. Cost for the Skillsbuilding Workshops are $50 per day; $100 for both days. Times are 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Space is limited. Oral exams for certification will be held May 4 and 5, 2012, and October 19 and 20, 2012, in Lincoln. The cost is $150. Applicants must have completed Court Interpreter Orientation and passed the written English comprehension exam in order to be eligible. Click here for registration information for the offerings. (Photo: Interpreter class sworn-in by former Justice John Gerrard in 2009)
Interstate Compact for Adults and Juveniles Available resources can be accessed at www.juvenilecompact.org (juvenile) and www.interstatecompact.org (adult). There is also Nebraska-specific training available for judges on the Judicial Branch Education (JBE) Web site that is a 1-hour web training discussing the Adult and Juvenile Compacts, as well as Interdistrict transfers, within the state of Nebraska. This training is available now and can be viewed anytime by clicking the link on the JBE website. The JBE website can be accessed at www.nebraskajbe.org.
Third Statewide Children’s Summit August 2012 The Chief Justice requests that court hearings not be scheduled for the duration of the summit so that all juvenile court judges and county court judges with juvenile court jurisdiction can attend. (Photo: Judge Doug Johnson speaks at first Children’s Summit in Nebraska City 2006) Monthly Probate Reports
Court Bench Book |
Court Interpreter Orientation is scheduled for March 24 and 25, 2012, in Lincoln. Cost for Orientation is $100. Scholarships based upon financial need may be considered for qualified Nebraska applicants who are required to travel more than 100 miles (one way) to attend orientation. 
The Through the Eyes of the Child Initiative and the Court Improvement Project will host the third statewide Children’s Summit August 27-29, 2012, in Kearney at the Younes Conference Center. The summit will begin with lunch on Monday and end early Wednesday afternoon. Accommodations and travel will be funded by the Court Improvement Project.HUMAN RESOURCES
"Intent to Award" Given to UnitedHealth Administrative Services asks employees to be patient as they embark on this process and, as they have more information, they will pass it along to employees. Administrative Services won’t have any additional information until the contract process is a bit further along, which should be within the next week or so. In addition, Blue Cross has filed a protest, which will need to play out. Castillo added, "As we become aware of provider differences, we will be encouraging employees (when appropriate) to bring those to our attention so that we can work with United on getting that provider in their network. As the protest process plays out, we will be providing more information." Concluding his email, Castillo noted, "We did not take the decision to move to United lightly. This will save nearly $8,000,000 a year, which translates into savings for our employees -- and taxpayers who pay 79% of health insurance premiums. Our goal is to make this transition to a new provider as seamless as possible for our employees." |
PEOPLE
Justice John Gerrard Leaves Nebraska Supreme Court (Photo: Chief Justice Michael Heavican, Justice John Wright, Justice Michael McCormack, Justice Lindsey Miller-Lerman, Justice Kenneth Stephan, Justice John Gerrard, Justice William Connolly) Memorial Omaha Judge Gary Randall Appointed to National Task Force on Judicial Branch Funding Urbom to Serve as District Court Presiding Judge for the 11th Judicial District in Upcoming Judicial Retirements New Court Personnel
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Justice John Gerrard resigned his office as a judge of the Nebraska Supreme Court on February 5, 2012, to accept his appointment as a federal judge for the United
States District Court, District of Nebraska. Gerrard was appointed to the Nebraska Supreme Court in 1995. He was nominated to the U. S. District Court in May 2011 to fill the position vacated by Judge Richard G. Kopf. Click COMMITTEES · COMMISSIONS
Nebraska Court System Reengineering Committee Judge Patrick McDermott, chairman of the committee, is currently designing a Web site to track the work of the committee. New JUSTICE Committees Established |
RULE, FORM AND POLICY CHANGES
Parenting Education Now Available Online The online parenting classes are a new resource. The face-to-face classes are still available for those who prefer in-person education. The online parenting education is only “basic” – there is no online for “second level” or high conflict situations. The second level parenting classes are all in-person. Click here for a complete list of 2012 AOC-approved Parenting Education providers. Online providers are last on the list. Some online providers are based outside of Nebraska; all providers meet educational objectives that include orientation about Nebraska’s Parenting Act and the parenting plan requirements. This list is updated periodically as new providers become available.
Judicial Financial Interest Statements Please remember to complete the statement found in the Nebraska Revised Code of Judicial Conduct, which became effective January 1, 2011. Click here for instructions and the form (pages 5-8) which can be completed on your computer and mailed in. Those required to complete the form are all judges, all clerk magistrates, child support referees, and retired judges consenting to temporary judicial service. Rules for Comment The Court invites interested persons to comment on these proposed amendments. Anyone desiring to comment on the amendments to the guidelines should do so in writing to the office of the Clerk of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, P.O. Box 98910, Lincoln, NE 68509-8910, or via e-mail to lanet.asmussen@nebraska.gov no later than June 1, 2012. Rule Amendments (made within the last 90 days)
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CALENDAR ITEMS
Filing and Reporting Requirements |
MISCELLANEOUS
Publication Ordering Available Online |
Chief Justice Michael G. Heavican
Janice K. Walker, State Court Administrator
Ellen Fabian Brokofsky, State Probation Administrator
This file last modified Tuesday February 28, 2012 14:48:31