Your monthly support provides voters the knowledge they need to make confident decisions at the polls. Donate today.
John Wright (Nebraska)
This page is about the Nebraska Supreme Court justice. If you are looking for the Arkansas Circuit Court judge for the Eighteenth Circuit East, please see John H. Wright.
John Wright was a justice on the Nebraska Supreme Court. He was appointed to the court on February 25, 1994 by Democratic Governor Ben Nelson. Wright was retained by voters in 2010 and again in 2016. His last term would have expired in 2023.
Wright passed away on March 18, 2018.[1] To learn more about this vacancy click here.
Education
Wright received his undergraduate degree from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln in 1967 and his J.D. from the University of Nebraska College of Law in 1970.[2]
Military service
Wright joined the U.S. Army in 1970 and served in the Nebraska National Guard from 1970 to 1976.
Career
- 1994-2018: Justice, Nebraska Supreme Court
- 1991-1994: Judge, Nebraska Court of Appeals
- 1970-1991: Attorney in private practice[2]
Elections
2016
Justice Wright filed to stand for retention by voters in 2016.[3]
Election results
November 8 general election
John Wright was retained in the Nebraska Supreme Court, Wright's seat election with 75.61% of the vote.
| Nebraska Supreme Court, Wright's seat, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes votes | |
 John Wright | 75.61% | |
| Source: Nebraska Secretary of State Official Results | ||
2010
- Main article: Nebraska judicial elections, 2010
Wright was retained with 70% of the vote.[4]
2004
Wright was retained by voters in 2004 with 72% of the vote.[5]
1998
Wright was retained by voters in 1998.
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.
85.2 percent of respondents stated that Justice Wright should be retained in office. To read the full evaluation, see: Nebraska State Bar Association, 2012 Evaluation Results.
Political ideology
In October 2012, political science professors Adam Bonica and Michael Woodruff of Stanford University attempted to determine the partisan ideology of state supreme court justices. They created a scoring system in which a score above 0 indicated a more conservative-leaning ideology, while scores below 0 were more liberal.
Wright received a campaign finance score of -0.21, indicating a liberal ideological leaning. This was more liberal than the average score of -0.18 that justices received in Nebraska.
The study was based on data from campaign contributions by the judges themselves, the partisan leaning of those who contributed to the judges' campaigns, or, in the absence of elections, the ideology of the appointing body (governor or legislature). This study was not a definitive label of a justice, but an academic summary of various relevant factors.[6]
See also
External links
- Official website of the Nebraska judiciary
- Nebraska Judicial Branch, John F. Wright - District 6
- Project Vote Smart, Justice John F. Wright (NE)
Footnotes
- ↑ Lincoln Journal Star, "Nebraska Supreme Court Justice John Wright dies following lengthy illness," March 19, 2018
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 State of Nebraska Judicial Branch, "Hon. John F. Wright," accessed November 10, 2017
- ↑ Nebraska Secretary of State, "Judicial Candidate List for retention in office," accessed August 2, 2016
- ↑ The Wall Street Journal, Nebraska - Summary Vote Results
- ↑ 2004 Supreme Court retention election
- ↑ Stanford University, "State Supreme Court Ideology and 'New Style' Judicial Campaigns," October 31, 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
