Max Kelch
Max J. Kelch was a justice on the Nebraska Supreme Court. He was appointed to the bench by Governor Pete Ricketts (R) on February 3, 2016.[1] His term would have ended on January 7, 2021. He resigned from the court effective February 15, 2018.[2] To learn more about this vacancy, click here.
Kelch was previously a judge on the 2nd District Court in Nebraska. He served in that position from 2007 to 2016.[3][4]
On February 5, 2018, the Omaha World-Herald reported that Kelch's resignation was prompted by an ethics investigation related to sexual misconduct.[5] Read more below.
Education
Kelch received his B.S. from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln in 1979 and his J.D. from the University of Nebraska College of Law in 1981.[3]
Career
Kelch began his legal career in 1982. He has worked as a deputy attorney in Nemaha County, Syracuse City, and Nebraska City, a special prosecutor in Johnson County, an Otoe County attorney, and a private practice lawyer. He was appointed a county court judge of the 2nd Judicial District in 2005. Two years later, he was promoted to the district court.[3]
Elections
2010
- See also: Nebraska judicial elections, 2010
Kelch was retained with 67.94 percent of the vote in 2010.[6]
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.
90.8 percent of respondents stated that Judge Kelch should be retained in office. To read the full evaluation, see: Nebraska State Bar Association, 2012 Evaluation Results.
Noteworthy events
Resignation and harassment allegations
Following Kelch's announced resignation on January 23, 2018, the Omaha World-Herald reported that his departure was related to sexual misconduct. It published a report on February 6, where two unnamed officials said that the allegations against Kelch were related to the national #MeToo movement that was drawing more attention to allegations of sexual misconduct. The World-Herald also interview two unnamed women who said that Kelch had made sexually suggestive remarks to them in the past.[7]
In his letter of resignation to Gov. Pete Ricketts, Kelch wrote, "it is best for my family to submit my resignation."[7]
Recent news
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See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Journal Star, "Ricketts appoints judge to Supreme Court," accessed February 4, 2016
- ↑ Lincoln Journal Star, "Justice Max Kelch resigns from Nebraska Supreme Court," January 24, 2018
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Nebraska Judicial Branch, "Honorable Max J. Kelch," accessed August 2, 2016
- ↑ Nebraska Judicial Branch, "District Court Judge Address List," accessed December 10, 2014
- ↑ Omaha World-Herald, "Nebraska Supreme Court judge resigned after ethics complaint; sexual comments emerge," February 5, 2018
- ↑ Nebraska Secretary of State, "2010 General Election Results," accessed October 9, 2015
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Omaha World-Herald, "Nebraska Supreme Court judge resigned after ethics complaint; sexual comments emerge," February 6, 2018
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
