Eight Submit their Names for County Court Judge in the Fifth Judicial District

December 22, 2025 LINCOLN – Breanna D. Flaherty, Columbus; Aaron J. Kunz, Central City; Thomas L. Lange, Lincoln; Timothy P. Matas, Columbus; Jenniffer A. Panko-Rahe, Syracuse; Eddy M. Rodell, Lincoln; Elizabeth D. Samuelson, Seward; and Joanna M. Uden, Wahoo, have submitted applications for appointment as County Court Judge in the Fifth Judicial District which consists of Boone, Butler, Colfax, Hamilton, Merrick, Nance, Platte, Polk, Saunders, Seward, and York counties. The vacancy is due to the retirement of Judge C. Jo Petersen.

The public hearing of the Judicial Nominating Commission will be held at the Seward County Justice Center, District Court Courtroom, 261 S 8th St., Seward, Nebraska, beginning at 9:30 a.m. CST on Friday, January 16, 2026. The Commission will interview all applicants for the office at that time.

Any member of the public wishing to present his or her views concerning any candidate for the judicial vacancy may do so by:

Written public testimony, signed and clearly labeled as such, should be mailed to the Commission Chair no later than January 9, 2026, at the following address: Justice Jonathan J. Papik, Nebraska Supreme Court, PO Box 98910, Lincoln, NE 68509, or emailed to [email protected]. All written public testimony received by the deadline will be marked as an exhibit, received at the hearing, and made available to the public.   

Oral public testimony may be presented in person during the public hearing in the District Courtroom of the Seward County Justice Center, Seward, Nebraska.

Additional written information, including letters of recommendation, may be submitted to the commission at any time prior to the public hearing. Such information should be mailed to the commission chair or emailed to [email protected], and all such information shall be deemed confidential communications to the commission and applicant.

A listing of the members of the Judicial Nominating Commission can be found on the Nebraska Judicial Branch Web site at https://nebraskajudicial.gov/administration/committees-commissions/judicial-nominating-commissions/judicial-nominating-commission-fifth-district-countydistrict-court.

For special accommodations relating to the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact Amy Prenda, ADA Coordinator, at (402) 471-3730 or email [email protected].