District Court Judge Jodi L. Nelson of the 3^rd Judicial District has announced her retirement, effective January 31, 2026. Judge Nelson served the 3^rd District, comprised of Lancaster County, since her appointment in 2006.

In her announcement letter to the governor, Judge Nelson noted the “joy to work with my colleagues on the bench both here in Lancaster County and throughout the state, as well as the talented lawyers who have practiced before me.”

During her time on the bench, Judge Nelson was commended for her dedication to the improvement of the judicial system, being recognized in 2023 for dedicated work as member, and later chair of the Probation Services Committee. Her service continued to many committees, including Problem-Solving Courts, Forms, Commission on Children in the Courts, and many others.

After taking the bench in 2006, Nelson has been regularly retained in her judicial position by area voters, most recently in 2022.

The first step in replacing Judge Nelson will be for the Judicial Resources Commission to call a meeting to determine whether, based on judicial workload statistics, her retirement creates a judicial vacancy on the district court for the 3^rd Judicial District.

News Reporters:

Judge Nelson’s judicial profile

Replacing a Judge in the Nebraska Trial Court System

Judicial Resources Commission Information