Leigh Ann Retelsdorf, a judge in Nebraska’s Fourth Judicial District, will retire on June 13, 2025. Her departure marks the end of a 16-year tenure serving Douglas County.
Retelsdorf expressed her reflections on her career in a letter to Chief Justice Jeff Funke: “It has been an honor to serve the citizens of Douglas County over the last sixteen years.”
Since her appointment in 2009, Judge Retelsdorf has made significant contributions to the field. She played a major role in developing media rules that improved courtroom access, which involved researching, preparing, and editing these rules in collaboration with a committee of judges at the Nebraska Supreme Court's request. Former Chief Justice Mike Heavican commented during an awards ceremony: “It is widely acknowledged that the success of the project would not have been possible without Judge Retelsdorf’s attention to detail, willingness to take chances, and outstanding reputation within the legal community.”
Retelsdorf also led a Pandemic Bench Book Task Force, which was an initiative by the Supreme Court. This task force created a detailed pandemic Bench Book that became a national model for other judges, facilitating the Nebraska Judicial Branch's hosting of a national summit on pandemic preparation in 2019, before COVID-19 reached Nebraska.
In recognition of her work on the Expanded Media rules and the Pandemic Bench Book, Retelsdorf received the 2017 Distinguished Judge Award, Nebraska’s highest judicial honor.
Judge Retelsdorf's involvement extends beyond her judicial duties. She is a Nebraska State Bar Foundation Fellow and has served on various committees for the Nebraska Supreme Court and the Nebraska District Judges Association. She has held every leadership role within the District Judges Association, including serving as president in 2001 and as presiding judge for the Fourth Judicial District-District Court.
The state's judicial power is divided among various courts, including the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, district courts, and county courts. The administrative oversight of these courts is maintained by the Supreme Court. Additionally, Nebraska has separate juvenile courts and a Workers’ Compensation Court.
Judge Retelsdorf’s upcoming retirement will leave a vacancy in the district court, initiating the process for finding her successor.