Four seek to become Nebraska’s next chief justice

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — The Nebraska Supreme Court announced on Friday that four people have thrown their hat in the ring to be the next chief justice.

One of them, Judge Jeffrey Funke, is already on the state’s high court.

He has been a judge since 2007, joining the Supreme Court in 2016.

Lancaster County District Judge Ryan Post also applied.

Post has been on the bench since 2021. His resume also includes six years as an assistant state attorney general.

Another candidate is Judge David Bargen of the 1st Judicial District, which covers Fillmore, Gage, Jefferson, Johnson, Nemaha, Otoe, Pawnee, Richardson, Saline and Thayer counties.

He was appointed in 2022 after a 16-year career in private practice.

The final applicant is Judge PaTricia Freeman.

She has served on the bench in the 2nd Judicial District — which covers Cass, Otoe and Sarpy counties — since 2017.

Before that, she worked for 23 years in the Sarpy County Attorney’s Office.

They all are seeking to replace Chief Justice Mike Heavican, who will retire at the end of October.

People should send written testimony on the four applicants to the Nebraska Judicial Nominating Commission by Sept. 27.

The commission will hold a public hearing and interview the candidates on Oct. 4.

The panel will then send a list of finalists for Gov. Jim Pillen to choose from.