Jason S. Doele of Norfolk, Julie L. Reiter of Bellwood, and Theodore P. Arndt, Breanna D. Flaherty, William M. Kurtenbach, and Timothy P. Matas from Columbus have applied to become District Court Judge in the Fifth Judicial District. This district includes the counties of Boone, Butler, Colfax, Hamilton, Merrick, Nance, Platte, Polk, Saunders, Seward, and York. The vacancy arises due to Justice Jason M. Bergevin's new role at the Nebraska Supreme Court.
A public hearing by the Judicial Nominating Commission is scheduled for Friday, May 16, 2025. It will take place at the Platte County Courthouse in Columbus, Nebraska, starting at 1:00 p.m. During this hearing, the Commission will interview all applicants.
Members of the public are invited to express their views on any candidate. They can also submit additional written information, including letters of recommendation, before the Commission selects qualified candidates. These communications should be sent to the commission chair or emailed to Kara.Nielsen@nejudicial.gov and will remain confidential.
Details about the members of the Judicial Nominating Commission are available on the Nebraska Judicial Branch website. Special accommodations can be arranged by contacting Amy Prenda, ADA Coordinator, at (402) 471-3730 or via email at admin.adacoordinator@nejudicial.gov.
The Nebraska judicial system distributes its power among various courts, including the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, district courts, and county courts, all of which operate under the Supreme Court's direction. The state also has separate juvenile courts in Douglas, Lancaster, and Sarpy counties, along with a statewide Workers’ Compensation Court.