NEBRASKA
SUPREME COURT NAMES BROKOFSKY AS PROBATION ADMINISTRATOR
Lincoln – The Nebraska Supreme Court
has named Ellen Fabian Brokofsky as State Probation Administrator.
Ms. Brokofsky will provide administrative support to the Nebraska
Supreme Court in planning, organizing, and directing the functions
of the Nebraska State Probation System which includes over
200 probation officers throughout the state. A veteran to
probation, Ms. Brokofsky began as a probation officer in 1975
and has been a Chief Probation Officer in Sarpy, Cass and
Otoe Counties for the last 15 years.
“Given Ms. Brokofsky's
nearly 30 years as a probation officer, the last 15 years
being served as a Chief Probation Officer, the Supreme Court
has confidence in her knowledge of the probation system and
her demonstrated leadership abilities,” said Chief Justice
John V. Hendry on behalf of the Nebraska Supreme Court.
“Ms. Brokofsky's
past experience as a Chief Probation Officer for District
5, which includes Sarpy, Cass, and Otoe Counties, together
with her prior responsibilities as Chief Probation Officer
for juvenile probation in Sarpy County, gives Ms. Brokofsky
a good understanding of the needs associated with both urban
and rural probation offices, as well as juvenile probation
issues,” said Chief Justice Hendry.
Ms. Brokofsky is
a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor, current president-elect
of the National Juvenile Court Services Association, member
of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges
Substance Abuse Committee since 1990, and current member of
Nebraska’s Community Corrections Council Justice Substance
Abuse (JSAT) Subcommittee.
Ms. Brokofsky is
completing a Masters in Management degree at Bellevue University.
She received the 1993 Tribute Award from the Court Appointed
Special Advocates and the 2000 Outstanding Supervisor Award
from the Nebraska Probation System.
“I am truly honored
to serve the Nebraska Supreme Court as State Probation Administrator,”
said Ms. Brokofsky. “ I believe that building an integrated,
diverse, and responsive probation system requires a leader
not only able to apply new skills to our everyday business,
but also a leader with a progressive vision toward our future.
Probation service has enriched my life for almost 30 years.
As Probation Administrator, I will work to the best of my
ability to enrich this probation system I am so privileged
to serve.”
Ms. Brokofsky will
commence her duties as Probation Administrator on October
1, 2005.
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DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS
The Nebraska
State Bar Association seeks candidates for Director of Admissions.
The position is responsible for the administrative functions associated
with the application for admission to the practice of law in Nebraska.
BA required, JD preferred. Excellent communications skills, knowledge
of the legal community, the ability to handle confidential information
and creativity required. First resume review October 15, 2005.
EOE. Send resume and salary requirements to NSBA, P.O. Box 81809,
Lincoln, NE 68501-1809.
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RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT ADOPTED BY NEBRASKA SUPREME
COURT
The Rules of Professional conduct were adopted on June
8, 2005 and will become effective September 1, 2005.
Court
Order
Complete
Rules
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ADD NSBA EVENTS DIRECTLY TO YOUR OUTLOOK CALENDAR
Simply click on the
meeting you wish to download from the NSBA
calendar and when prompted click the "Open" button.
An Outlook appointment screen should then appear. Click the "Save
& Close" button to save to your calendar.
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JURY PARTICIPATION PROJECT
The Minority and Justice Implementation Committee was awarded
$30,000 from Woods Charitable Fund to develop, implement and
evaluate a statewide educational campaign designed to educate
and encourage jury service, especially among minority communities.
The results of the evaluation will be used to inform and make
policy recommendations to the Administrative Office of the
Courts to increase juror participation and encourage minority
representation on juries. The project is a collaborative effort
among the Administrative Office of the Courts, the Mexican
American Commission, the Urban League of Nebraska, and the
Commission on Indian Affairs.
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SAO POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT
#SAO2005-01
STAFF ATTORNEY
The United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
is looking for smart, hardworking lawyers or recent law school
graduates to serve in two-year clerkships as staff attorneys
in St. Louis, Missouri, beginning in August 2006. Staff attorneys
work under the direction of the Senior Staff Attorney for
the court as a whole, primarily preparing legal memoranda
and proposed per curiam opinions for cases in which a party
is proceeding without an attorney, and for counseled cases
that are decided by the court on the briefs. Candidates should
excel in legal research and analysis, and should be superior
writers who wish to become better writers. Candidates must
be willing and able to work with an editor. A demonstrated
commitment to justice is desirable. Minimum qualifications
for a CL 27, Step 25 level (currently $50,708) are graduation
with a J.D. or LL.B. degree from an accredited law school,
and one year of specialized experience, which may be satisfied
by superior academic performance in law school. Candidates
are being sought on a nationwide basis; must be U.S. citizens
or eligible to work in the United States; must agree to be
paid by direct deposit. The court is an equal opportunity
employer. Applicants should submit cover letter (referencing
announcement number above), resume, copy of law school transcript,
indication of class rank, unedited writing sample, and a list
of three references, to Senior Staff Attorney, U.S. Court
of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, 111 South 10th Street,
Suite 23.336, St. Louis, Missouri 63102. Only resumes received
by November 15, 2005, are assured consideration.
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BEST PRACTICES SEMINAR FOR THE FALL
OF 2005
The third installment of the Best Pratices Series is scheduled
at the Regency Lodge in Omaha on October 18, 2005. The topic
is Your First Deposition by Julia Belian. Click
here for additional information and the registration form.
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NEBRASKA DELEGATION TO ATTEND LANDMARK NATIONAL
MEETING TO REFORM FOSTER CARE SYSTEM
Nebraska Delegation
to Attend Landmark National Meeting to Reform Foster
Care System
Sept. 20 – 23, 2005
Held in Bloomington, Minnesota
Lincoln – Nebraska
Court and Health and Human Services agency leaders are participating
in an unprecedented national effort to better protect abused
and neglected children who are in the court system. Nebraska’s
team
includes: Chief Justice John V. Hendry; Chief Judge of the
Court of Appeals, Rett Inbody and Separate Juvenile Court
Judge Doug Johnson who co-chairs the Supreme Court Commission
on Children in the Courts; State Court Administrator Janice
Walker; Director of Nebraska Health and Human Services System
Nancy Montanez; Administrator of the Health and Human Services
Office of Protection and Safety, Todd Reckling and Director
of the Nebraska Court Improvement Project Dr. Victoria Weisz.
The Nebraska group
is joining court leaders and representatives of child welfare
agencies from every state, the District of Columbia, and three
U.S.
territories for Changing Lives By Changing Systems: National
Judicial Leadership Summit for the Protection of Children,
Sept. 20 – 23 in Bloomington, Minnesota.
This event coincides
with the Supreme Court’s formation of the Commission on Children
in the Courts this past January. “We are committed to making
improvements for children who are involved with the court
system,” said Chief Justice John V. Hendry. The Court’s commission
consists of judges, lawyers, representatives of the legislative
and executive branches, and children’s advocates. The initial
goal of the commission has been to study the appropriate steps
to insure that the court system is as responsive as possible
for children who interact with, or are directly affected by,
the courts.
(More information
on the Commission and its membership:
http://www.ccfl.unl.edu/outreach/judicialcommission/judicialcommision.html)
The summit will
serve as the springboard for a series of actions designed
to reform the way abused and neglected children’s cases proceed
through the courts. One of the summit’s goals is to reduce
delays in securing safe, permanent homes for children in foster
care. Each state will develop an individual action plan to
improve its child protection procedures and programs. Following
the summit, these action plans will be compiled into a National
Call to Action for state courts and will launch a collaborative
reform plan between the courts and child welfare agencies
at state and local levels. More than 40 justices or judges
from the states’ highest courts are attending the four-day
event.
In May 2004, the
Pew Commission on Children in Foster Care issued recommendations
that call for improving court oversight of foster care cases
to reduce delays in placing children safely and permanently
in homes.
These recommendations, endorsed by the Conference of Chief
Justices (CCJ) and the Conference of State Court Administrators
(COSCA), will serve as the summit’s central themes.
The summit is made
possible by a $400,000 grant from The Pew Charitable Trusts
to the National Center for State Courts (NCSC), which has
conducted extensive research on family courts and child protection.
Additional support for this project is being provided by the
Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Dave Thomas Foundation for
Adoption, Fostering Results, and the State Justice Institute.
The NCSC, CCJ, COSCA, and the National Council of Juvenile
and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) are sponsoring the summit.
The Pew Charitable
Trusts serves the public interest by providing information,
advancing policy solutions and supporting civic life. Based
in Philadelphia, with an office in Washington, D.C., the Trusts
will invest
$204 million in fiscal year 2006 to provide organizations
and citizens with fact-based research and practical solutions.
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GREAT PLAINS TAX INSTITUTE
The 2005 Great
Plains Federal Tax Institute is meeting in Omaha at the Embassy
Suites-Old Market on December 1 and 2, 2005
The program will feature
current developments in Income, Estate, and Gift Tax and much
more up-to-the-minute tax information of interest to CPAs, Attorneys,
Financial Planners, Life Insurance Professionals and other Tax
Professionals.
Click here for the current press
release.
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JUDGMENT INTEREST RATE
Effective October 20, 2005, the judgment interest rate will
be 6.002%
http://court.nol.org/community/interestrate.htm
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AMENDMENTS TO THE RULES OF THE DISTRICT COURT
OF THE FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT
1st Judicial District rule amendments for the District Court
have been incorporated into the trial court rules on the Judicial
Branch Web Site.
You may review the rules at: http://court.nol.org/trialcourt/index.html
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ANNUAL MEETING PREVIEW-NOVEMBER 9-11 AT THE CORNHUSKER
HOTEL
For more information (including: events by day, CLE program
schedule, keynote speakers and more) visit the calendar/annual
meeting pages. To register for meeting packages, individual
NCLE programs, social events and meals go to the NSBA
STORE.
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