Judge Mark Johnson of the 7th Judicial District Court in Nebraska has announced his retirement, effective January 15, 2025. In a letter to the Governor, Judge Johnson expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to serve since April 24, 2013. "It has been a distinct honor and privilege to have served as district judge of the Seventh Judicial of the State of Nebraska," he wrote.
He thanked courthouse staff for their "help, humor and assistance every day in such a positive and professional manner" and extended his appreciation to attorneys for their "professionalism, wit, and wisdom."
During his tenure, Judge Johnson was involved in several judicial activities. He served on the Nebraska Supreme Court Dispute Resolution Advisory Council and the Judicial Education Committee for Nebraska District Judges Association. Additionally, he volunteered at Nebraska High School Mock Trial Competitions, where he taught civics to local high school students.
Johnson's jurisdiction included Antelope, Cuming, Knox, Madison, Pierce, Stanton, and Wayne counties from 2013 until his upcoming retirement. He was retained by voters in the region during his time on the bench, most recently in 2022.
Following his announcement, the Judicial Resources Commission will convene to assess whether Judge Johnson's retirement creates a vacancy based on judicial workload statistics within the district court.
The Nebraska judicial system is structured under its Constitution with powers distributed among various courts including Supreme Court and district courts. The system also includes juvenile courts in specific counties and a statewide Workers' Compensation Court.