Applications for Nebraska Supreme Court chief justice due Sept. 13; public interviews Oct. 4

Judges of the Nebraska Supreme Court (and when they were appointed), front row from left: Lindsey Miller-Lerman (1998), Chief Justice Michael Heavican (2006), William Cassel (2012). Back row, from left: Jonathan Papik (2018), Stephanie Stacy (2015), Jeffrey Funke (2016) and John Freudenberg (2018). (Courtesy of the court)

LINCOLN — Applicants seeking the chief justice seat on the Nebraska Supreme Court will have three weeks to throw their hat in the ring ahead of public interviews in October.

Chief Justice Michael Heavican announced Wednesday he would retire from the Supreme Court effective Oct. 31, after 18 years on the court. Nebraskans seeking his position will have until 3 p.m. on Sept. 13 to submit an application by email or hard copy to the court. Completed applications can be sent electronically to nsc.jnc@nejudicial.gov .

Applications are available at: https://supremecourt.nebraska.gov/administration/attorneys/judicial-vacancies-and-judicial-nominating-commission-information/judicial-vacancy-application-package .

Applicants’ names will be made public by Sept. 25, according to the nominating timeline .

Justice Lindsey Miller-Lerman, who chairs the Judicial Nominating Commission for Chief Justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court , will host a public hearing in the Supreme Court Courtroom at the State Capitol in Lincoln at 10 a.m. on Oct. 4. Miller-Lerman is the court’s longest serving justice, appointed in 1998.

The nine-member commission is tasked with reviewing and forwarding at least two qualified candidates to Gov. Jim Pillen for his consideration within 90 days of a judicial vacancy.

Each nominating commission consists of one justice, four attorneys selected by the Nebraska State Bar Association and four nonlawyers appointed by the governor.

Members of the public can present testimony or additional comments for the commission’s consideration at the Oct. 4 hearing or in writing by Sept. 27.

Written comments can be emailed kara.nielsen@nejudicial.gov or mailed to Justice Lindsey Miller-Lerman, Nebraska Supreme Court, PO Box 98910, Lincoln, NE 68509.

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