Four people file to become next Nebraska Supreme Court chief justice •
LINCOLN — Four Nebraska justices have applied to be considered to replace retiring Chief Justice Mike Heavican, the Nebraska Supreme Court announced Friday.
Heavican announced in late August that he would retire at the end of October, ending his 18-year tenure on the state’s high court. Gov. Jim Pillen will pick his successor from any name forwarded judicial nominating committee Contest for the seat of Chief Justice.
Nebraska Supreme Court Justice Jeffrey Funk (Courtesy of the Nebraska Supreme Court)
Applicants include Supreme Court Justice Jeffrey Funk, Sarpy County Judge Patricia Freeman, Saline County District Judge David Bargen and Lancaster County District Judge Ryan Post. The committee solicits public feedback on each item.
Funk is an attorney and prosecutor in private practice in Otoe County and served as a county court judge before Gov. Dave Heineman appointed him to the district court in Cass, Sarpy and Otoe counties. . Governor Pete Ricketts appointed him to the Supreme Court in 2016.
Before Ricketts appointed her to the county court bench in 2017, Freeman was the Sarpy County prosecutor and was later promoted to chief deputy county attorney. hold office. She also serves as an adjunct professor of law at Creighton University School of Law in Omaha.
Sarpy County Judge Patricia Freeman. (Courtesy of the Nebraska Supreme Court)
Bargen worked in private practice and served as an adjunct law professor at the University of Nebraska College of Law. He also clerks on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Ricketts appointed him district judge in Fillmore, Gage, Jefferson, Johnson, Nemaha, Otoe, Pawnee, Richardson, Saline and Thayer counties.
Post works as a legislative assistant and civil attorney in the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office. From 2017 to 2021, he was promoted to head the Litigation Bureau.
Saline County District Judge David Bagan. (Courtesy of the Nebraska Supreme Court)
The Judicial Nominating Committee requests that written testimony be sent by September 27 to Judge Lindsey Miller-Lerman, Nebraska Supreme Court, PO Box 98910, Lincoln, NE 68509 or by email at (email protected) . Miller-Lerman chairs the nine-member committee.
Lancaster County District Judge Ryan S. Post (Courtesy of the Nebraska Supreme Court)
Those willing to testify are encouraged to attend a public hearing on October 4 at 10 a.m. in the Supreme Court Courtroom of the State Capitol where applicants will be interviewed.
The court encourages Nebraskans with disabilities to contact 402-471-3730 to receive an accommodation.
Correction: Judge Patricia Freeman serves on the Sarpy County Courthouse. This story has been updated to correct her position.
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