Legal News

Robert M. Spire Public Service Award:

Published by maggie@omahadai... on Thu, 05/01/2025 - 12:00am

Lauren Micek Vargas
Chief Executive Officer, Co-Founder
(Courtesy of Education Rights Counsel)

A Chicago study of 13,000 students by David Kerbow found that the more elementary students change schools, the more they fall behind academically; four or more times is equivalent to being a grade behind. The Education Rights Counsel works to ensure that students can remain in their same school, among plenty of other noble pursuits.

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Laurie Smith Camp Integrity Award:

Published by maggie@omahadai... on Thu, 05/01/2025 - 12:00am

Meeting a judge is scary, right? For someone who doesn't practice law, I may have been a bit nervous before the interview. However, upon being led to Judge Vernon Daniels’ office, I came upon a scene of him playing with his grandson. Cartoons were being played on a TV, and stuffed animals took up much of the space of his desk, and he rose to greet me. Much of my trepidation melted away, for the first thing I saw of him was kindness.

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The Public Service Award:

Published by maggie@omahadai... on Thu, 05/01/2025 - 12:00am

The Public Service Award (as per the Omaha Bar Association’s website) is presented to an individual or group who/which have shown the following: (1) The public's knowledge of the law or the legal system has been enhanced in some significant way by the recipient's efforts; (2) The recipient has focused on providing service to the community for purposes other than pecuniary profits; and (3) The recipient has demonstrated long term commitment to the enhancement of the public's knowledge of the law.

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OBA Lifetime Achievement Award:

Published by maggie@omahadai... on Thu, 05/01/2025 - 12:00am

This year, Attorney Stu Dornan was awarded the, “Omaha Bar Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award.” As per the OBA’s website, it was not established to be granted each year. Recipients would have been weighed against four merits: exemplary service to the profession, support and service to the Omaha Bar Association, innovative contributions to improving justice, and a longstanding commitment to mentoring in the law.

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Small Towns, Big Challenges: How Local Lawyers Keep Valley and Waterloo Growing Strong

Published by maggie@omahadai... on Thu, 05/01/2025 - 12:00am

Desirae Solomon has served as Waterloo’s village attorney for about three years.
(Tim Trudell / The Daily Record)

While a city the size of Omaha can have a law department with dozens of attorneys specializing in areas such as taxation and prosecution, smaller communities in the Metro can't afford that luxury.

Turning to outside law firms to represent them in civil matters and to provide legal counsel on ordinances and such, communities like Valley and Waterloo have learned to lean on their attorneys' expertise.

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Judge Allows Charges To Proceed Against Nebraska Notary For Medical Cannabis Petitions

Published by maggie@omahadai... on Fri, 04/25/2025 - 7:00am

Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana celebrate turn-in day for 114,000 signatures the group gathered across two petitions to legalize and regulate medical marijuana, July 3, 2024.
(Courtesy of Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana campaign)

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. — The District Court of Hall County decided Tuesday to allow criminal charges against a notary public for “official misconduct” to proceed, overturning a lower court decision.

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The Trump Administration’s War On Children

Published by maggie@omahadai... on Fri, 04/25/2025 - 5:00am

Victims and survivors of abused and neglected youth at residential treatment facilities (RTFs) and advocates, hold a news conference on the need for Congress to act to protect children and reform RTFs, Wednesday, June 12, 2024, on Capitol Hill in Washington.
(Mariam Zuhaib / AP Photo)

The Trump Administration’s War on Children

by Eli Hager

ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox.

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Palestinian Student Remains Detained In Vermont With A Hearing Set For Next Week

Published by maggie@omahadai... on Fri, 04/25/2025 - 4:00am

Protesters gather outside federal court ahead of a hearing for Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian man arrested at a Vermont immigration office during an interview about finalizing his U.S. citizenship and a legal permanent resident who led protests against the war in Gaza at Columbia University, Wednesday, April 23, 2025 in Burlington, Vt.
(Amanda Swinhart / AP Photo)

BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — A large crowd of supporters and advocates gathered outside a Vermont courthouse Wednesday to support a Palestinian man who led protests against the war in Gaza as a student at Columbia University and was arrested during an interview about finalizing his U.S. citizenship.

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Bill To Define Male, Female In State Law Advances In Nebraska Legislature

Published by maggie@omahadai... on Fri, 04/25/2025 - 3:00am

State Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha, March 31, 2025.
(Zach Wendling / Nebraska Examiner)

LINCOLN — State lawmakers advanced a proposal Tuesday seeking to define “male” and “female” in state law targeted for K-12 or collegiate bathrooms, sports teams and locker rooms.

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Expanded Sports Gambling In Nebraska Faces Uphill Legislative Climb To 2026 Ballot

Published by maggie@omahadai... on Fri, 04/18/2025 - 7:00am

State Sen. Eliot Bostar of Lincoln (center) is flanked by State Sens. Carolyn Bosn and Beau Ballard both of Lincoln, April 10, 2024.
(Zach Wendling / Nebraska Examiner)

LINCOLN — Legalizing online sports gambling in Nebraska appears to be a risky bet for some state lawmakers. A proposed constitutional amendment advanced Monday but faces an uphill legislative climb.