Nebraska Supreme Court elections, 2026
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The term of one Nebraska Supreme Court justice was set to expire on January 7, 2027. The seat was scheduled to be up for retention on November 3, 2026. The election was not required after Justice Lindsey Miller-Lerman retired.
Judges with expiring terms
- This is a list of the justices who must stand for retention election in 2026 in order to remain on the bench. Justices may choose not to stand for election. The list is subject to change if justices retire or are appointed.
Voting information
- See also: Voting in Nebraska
Ballotpedia will publish the dates and deadlines related to this election as they are made available.
About the Nebraska Supreme Court
- See also: Nebraska Supreme Court
The court consists of a chief justice and six associate justices. Each associate justice represents one of six districts. A full term on the court is six years. Retention elections take place during Nebraska's general elections, which are held every two years in even-numbered years.
Political composition
This is the political composition of the court heading into the 2026 election.
| ■ Jeffrey Funke | Appointed by Gov. Pete Ricketts (R) in 2016[1] | |
| ■ Stephanie Stacy | Appointed by Gov. Pete Ricketts (R) in 2015 | |
| ■ Derek Vaughn | Appointed by Gov. Jim Pillen (R) in 2025 | |
| ■ William Cassel | Appointed by Gov. Dave Heineman (R) in 2012 | |
| ■ Jonathan Papik | Appointed by Gov. Pete Ricketts (R) in 2018 | |
| ■ Jason Bergevin | Appointed by Gov. Pete Ricketts (R) in 2022 | |
| ■ John Freudenberg | Appointed by Gov. Pete Ricketts (R) in 2018, and retained in 2022 |
Selection
The seven justices on the Nebraska Supreme Court are selected through the assisted appointment method. The governor appoints each new justice from a list of at least two qualified nominees assembled by a judicial nominating commission.[2][3] There are separate judicial nominating commissions for each supreme court district, as well as the chief justiceship. Each commission is made up of nine members. Members of the Nebraska State Bar Association select four lawyers and the governor appoints four nonlawyers. The ninth member is a supreme court justice who serves as chairman but does not vote.[3][4]
Justices must run in a yes-no retention election during the first general election occurring after they have been on the court for three years. Subsequent terms last six years.[5]
Qualifications
To serve on the Nebraska Supreme Court, a person must:
- be at least 30 years old;
- be a U.S. citizen;
- have practiced law in Nebraska for at least five years;
- be a member of the state bar; and
- be a resident of the judicial district for which they are being appointed.[6]
Chief justice
The chief justice of the supreme court is selected through the same assisted appointment method as other justices on the court and serves in that role for the duration of his or her time on the court.[7]
Vacancies
When a vacancy occurs on the Nebraska Supreme Court, a judicial nominating commission submits the names of at least two qualified nominees to the governor, who appoints one to fill the vacancy. If the governor does not appoint one of the nominees within 60 days, the chief justice of the supreme court is authorized to select a new judge.[5]
The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Note: Funke was appointed Chief Justice in 2024.
- ↑ National Center for State Courts, "Judicial Selection in the States: Nebraska | Overview," accessed August 16, 2021
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 National Center for State Courts, "Judicial Selection in the States: Nebraska | Judicial Nominating Commissions," accessed August 16, 2021
- ↑ Nebraska Legislature, "Nebraska State Constitution Article V-21," accessed August 16, 2021
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 State of Nebraska Judicial Branch, "Branch Overview," accessed August 16, 2021
- ↑ Nebraska Legislature, "Nebraska Revised Statute 24-202," accessed August 16, 2021
- ↑ National Center for State Courts, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Nebraska," accessed August 16, 2021
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
