Gregory M. Schatz
Gregory Schatz was a judge of the 4th District Court and the Problem-Solving Courts in Nebraska. He served on the district court since 2001 and on the Douglas County Adult Drug Court (Post Plea) since 2003.[1][2] Schatz was retained in a retention election on November 8, 2016. Schatz retired from his position on the 4th District Court on July 1, 2021.[3]
Education
Schatz received his B.B.A. from the University of Notre Dame in 1969 and his J.D. from the Creighton University School of Law in 1972.[1]
Career
Schatz began his career in 1972 as an associate attorney in the private practice of trial law. In 1975, he left that position to become a felony criminal prosecutor for the Douglas County Attorney's Office. He returned to the private practice in 1983, working as a lawyer in Omaha until his appointment to the district court in 2001.[1]
Elections
2016
Nebraska held retention elections for local judicial offices on November 8, 2016. The filing deadline for candidates who wished to run for retention was August 1, 2016.[4] Gregory Schatz was retained in the Nebraska District 4, Seat 5 election with 67.87 percent of the vote. [5]
| Nebraska District 4, Seat 5, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes votes | |
 Gregory Schatz | 67.87% | |
| Source: Nebraska Secretary of State, "Unofficial Results: General Election - November 8, 2016: Judicial," accessed November 9, 2016 | ||
2010
- See also: Nebraska judicial elections, 2010
Schatz was retained with 64.66 percent of the vote in 2010.[6][7]
2012 judicial performance evaluation
Every two years, the Nebraska State Bar Association compiles responses from lawyers to evaluate judges in the state. Subjects are rated in seven categories, then a determination is made for whether the judge should be retained. The seven categories considered are: legal analysis; impartiality; attentiveness; opinions; judicial temperament and demeanor; appropriate communication; and timeliness.
86 percent of respondents stated that Judge Schatz should be retained in office. To read the full evaluation, see: Nebraska State Bar Association, 2012 Evaluation Results.
Judicial selection method
- See also: Assisted appointment
The 55 judges of the Nebraska District Courts are appointed by the governor with help from a nominating commission. When a vacancy occurs on one of the courts, a judicial nominating commission submits the names of at least two qualified candidates to the governor, who appoints one to fill the vacancy. If the governor fails to appoint a candidate within 60 days, the chief justice of the state supreme court is authorized to select a new judge.[8][9]
Judges serve initial terms of three years, at which point they must run in yes-no retention elections occurring during the next general election. Subsequent terms last six years.[8]
The chief judge of each district court is chosen by peer vote.[8]
To serve on one of the Nebraska District Courts, a judge must be:[8]
- a U.S. citizen;
- a state resident;
- a resident of the district he or she represents (for district judges);
- over the age of 30;
- experienced with more than five years of state practice; and
- a member of the state bar.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Nebraska Judicial Branch, "Honorable Gregory M. Schatz," accessed October 15, 2015
- ↑ Nebraska Judicial Branch, "District Court Judge Address List," accessed December 10, 2014
- ↑ State of Nebraska Judicial Branch, "September 30, 2021, 4:00 p.m. Application Deadline Set for District Court Judge Vacancies, Fourth Judicial District," September 13, 2021
- ↑ Nebraska Secretary of State, "2016 Election Calendar," accessed December 7, 2015
- ↑ Nebraska Secretary of State, "Judicial Candidate List for retention in office," August 1, 2016
- ↑ Nebraska Secretary of State, "2010 General Election Results," accessed October 9, 2015
- ↑ Nebraska Secretary of State, "Judges running for retention"
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Nebraska," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Nebraska; Judicial Nominating Commissions," archived January 13, 2012
Federal courts:
Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Nebraska • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Nebraska
State courts:
Nebraska Supreme Court • Nebraska Court of Appeals • Nebraska District Courts • Nebraska County Courts • Nebraska Separate Juvenile Courts • Nebraska Workers' Compensation Court • Nebraska Problem-Solving Courts
State resources:
Courts in Nebraska • Nebraska judicial elections • Judicial selection in Nebraska
