InNebraska, there is one federal district court, a state supreme court, a state court of appeals, and trial courts with both general and limited jurisdiction. These courts serve different purposes, which are outlined in the sections below.

Click a link for information about that court type.

• Federal courts
• State supreme court
• State court of appeals
• Trial courts

The image below depicts the flow of cases through Nebraska's state court system. Cases typically originate in the trial courts and can be appealed to courts higher up in the system.

The structure of Nebraska's state court system.

Judicial selection process

See also:Judicial selection in Nebraska andNebraska judicial elections

Selection of state court judges in Nebraska occurs throughmerit selection, specifically theassisted appointment method. Appointed judges serve for three years, after which they must stand forretention during the next general election if they wish to remain on the court. Subsequent terms last six years.^[1][2]

To read more about judicial elections in Nebraska,click here.

Federal courts

Thefederal district court in Nebraska is theUnited States District Court for the District of Nebraska.

Appeals from this court are heard in theU.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit.

Active judges

The list below displays the number of active judges by the party of the appointing president. It does not reflect how a judge may rule on specific cases or their own political preferences.

• Democratic appointed: 2
• Republican appointed: 1

Judicial selection

Judges who sit on the federal district courts are nominated by thepresident of the United States and confirmed by theUnited States Senate. These judges serve life terms. To read more about the judges on these courts, clickhere.

Bankruptcy courts

There is onefederal bankruptcy court in Nebraska. This court has subject-matter jurisdiction over bankruptcy cases. The federal bankruptcy court in Nebraska is:

• TheUnited States bankruptcy court, District of Nebraska

State supreme court

See alsoNebraska Supreme Court

Founded in 1875, theNebraska Supreme Court is the state'scourt of last resort and has seven judgeships. The position of chief judge is currently held byJeffrey Funke.^[3][4]

As of January 2025, six judges on the court were appointed by a Republican governor, and one judge was appointed by a Democratic governor.

The following judges sit on the court:

State court of appeals

See alsoNebraska Court of Appeals

TheNebraska Court of Appeals theintermediate appellate court inNebraska. It was established by a constitutional amendment on September 6, 1991, and is primarily located in the Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln. There are six judges on the court. The districts from which the court of appeals judges are appointed are the same as those used for the six supreme court justices.^[2]

The following judges sit on the court:

Trial courts

District courts

See alsoNebraska District Courts

There are 12district courts in Nebraska. These courts encompass one or more counties and have general jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases. They also hear appeals from the county courts.^[5][6]

County courts

See also:Nebraska County Courts

The Nebraska County Courts handle cases regarding "small claims, probate, guardianship, conservatorship, adoption, and municipal ordinance violation[s]." They also handle civil cases involving up to $57,000, some juvenile cases, preliminary hearings in felony criminal cases, and misdemeanor criminal/traffic infraction cases.^[7]

Separate juvenile courts

See also:Nebraska Separate Juvenile Courts

TheNebraska Separate Juvenile Courts have jurisdiction over juvenile issues. In Douglas, Lancaster, and Sarpy counties, there areseparate juvenile courts. In the other counties, juvenile matters are heard in the county courts.^[7]

Workers' compensation court

See also:Nebraska Workers' Compensation Court

TheNebraska Workers' Compensation Court mediates disputes under the Nebraska Workers' Compensation Act.^[8]

Problem-solving courts

See also:Nebraska Problem-Solving Courts

TheNebraska Problem-Solving Courts handle a wide range of cases, including domestic disputes, drug-related charges, and community issues. A majority of Nebraska's judicial districts contain problem-solving courts. Problem-solving courts include specialized drug courts, domestic violence courts, community courts, family treatment courts, DUI courts, and mental health courts.^[9]

In other states

See also

• Judicial selection in Nebraska
• Nebraska judicial elections

External links

Suggest a link

• Search Google News for this topic
• Nebraska Judicial Branch

Footnotes

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