Pillen appoints associate justice to Nebraska Supreme Court
Description
Justices of the Nebraska Supreme Court join at the investiture of Chief Justice Jeffrey Funke, at right, to succeed former Chief Justice Mike Heavican on Nov. 22, 2024. The associate justices, organized from left to the most senior member: John Freudenberg, Jonathan Papik, Stephanie Stacy, William Cassel and Lindsey Miller-Lerman. There was one vacancy at the time for Funke's seat after he ascended to chief justice. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)
LINCOLN — Gov. Jim Pillen has selected a district judge from his hometown of Columbus as the next associate justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court.
Platte County District Judge Jason M. Bergevin succeeds Justice Jeffrey Funke, whom Pillen elevated in the fall to chief justice. Bergevin joined his district court in 2022, which was his first judgeship.
“I am honored to be chosen as the next judge of the Nebraska Supreme Court from the Fifth Judicial District,” Bergevin said in a statement. “Three highly qualified applicants stepped forward for this position. I appreciate Governor Pillen’s confidence in me. I will work hard to continue serving the Nebraska Judicial Branch and the people of our state.”
Spokespersons for the Nebraska Judicial Branch confirmed Bergevin will wind down his district court duties before taking the oath of office for the Supreme Court.
Bergevin’s appointment will go to voters in the Fifth Judicial District beginning in the 2028 general election. If retained, he’d face an up-or-down retention vote every six years, pursuant to the Nebraska Constitution.
Pillen celebrated Bergevin as a “dedicated jurist” with extensive legal experience as an attorney and judge.
“I have great confidence in Judge Bergevin’s abilities, and I know he has deep respect and integrity when it comes to matters of the court,” Pillen said in a statement. “I am pleased to elevate him to this role on Nebraska’s Supreme Court.”
Last summer, Bergevin oversaw the opening of the state’s newest problem-solving courts in Platte County. He previously was an assistant attorney general in the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office for seven years. He worked with county attorneys, was a legal advisor to multiple state agencies and reviewed agency regulations.
Bergevin has also held multiple positions in the U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Corps up until 2022. He served as a deputy county attorney for Weld County, in Greeley, Colorado, and later in the same role for Lancaster County in Nebraska.
He earned his law degree from Western New England University School of Law in 2005 and earned a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
The Fifth Judicial District for the Nebraska Supreme Court consists of Butler, Cass, Clay, Colfax, Fillmore, Gage, Hall, Hamilton, Jefferson, Johnson, Merrick, Nance, Nemaha, Nuckolls, Otoe, Pawnee, Platte, Polk, Richardson, Saline, Saunders, Seward, Thayer, Webster and York Counties.
The other applicants for the Supreme Court vacancy were Nebraska Court of Appeals Judge Lawrence E. Welch, Jr. and Saline County District Judge David J. A. Bargen.
The Nebraska Supreme Court consists of six associate justices who serve specific judicial districts and a chief justice who serves the state at large.
All Nebraska Supreme Court justices are paid a salary of $225,055.35.
Lincoln, NE