Judge W. Russell Bowie of the 4th Judicial District Court in Douglas County has announced his retirement, effective January 8, 2025. In a statement to the Chief Justice, Judge Bowie expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to serve: “It has been an honor and a privilege to serve the citizens of Douglas County, and a few others, during my 18-plus years.”
Judge Bowie was appointed to the Douglas County bench in 2006 and has since been retained by area voters, with his most recent retention occurring in 2022.
The Judicial Resources Commission will convene to assess whether Judge Bowie's retirement results in a judicial vacancy on the district court for the 4th Judicial District. This decision will be based on judicial workload statistics.
In Nebraska, judicial power is distributed among various courts including the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, district courts, and county courts. All these courts operate under the administrative direction of the Supreme Court. Additionally, Nebraska's judicial system includes separate juvenile courts in Douglas, Lancaster, and Sarpy Counties as well as a statewide Workers’ Compensation Court.