Nebraska

Nebraska’s highest court is the Nebraska Supreme Court. The court has six associate justices and one chief justice. The chief justice is appointed according to the same procedure as the associate justices. (Source: Nebraska Supreme Court)

Judicial Selection

The governor appoints justices to the Nebraska Supreme Court from a list provided by a judicial nominating commission. After at least three years on the court, the justice may stand for a six-year term in an unopposed yes/no retention vote at the time of Nebraska’s next general election. Justices may stand for additional terms in the same retention process. When a seat on the Nebraska Supreme Court opens in the middle of a justice’s term, the governor appoints a candidate from a list provided by a judicial nominating commission. There are no term limits, nor is there a mandatory retirement age.

State Constitution

Nebraska has had two state constitutions adopted in 1866 and 1875. As of January 1, 2024, it had 235 amendments. (Source: John Dinan, 2024)

 

 

Sole footer logo

A project of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law