Justia Nebraska Supreme Court Opinion Summaries

The Commission on Judicial Qualifications charged Gregory Schatz, a district judge, with misconduct for improperly intervening in a case involving his friend by ordering him released from jail on Schatz’s own recognizance before arraignment. An appointed special master found that Schatz had violated several provisions of the judicial code and the Nebraska Constitution and recommended a public reprimand. The Commission adopted the special master’s factual findings and likewise recommended a public reprimand. Considering the nature of the misconduct and the presence of several mitigating circumstances, the Supreme Court agreed that a public reprimand was an appropriate sanction and publicly reprimanded Schatz.View "In re Complaint Against Schatz" on Justia Law