It was a family affair at the Sarpy County Courthouse during Judge Jonathon D. Crosby’s recent investiture ceremony.

The new judge was sworn in Nov. 12 before a number of familiar faces from every stage of his academic and professional careers, and his personal life.

“I want to thank everyone for being here,” Crosby said during the investiture ceremony. “It is a surreal experience to look out over a crowd and kind of see, if my life was a book, I’d see a lot of the pages in front of me.”

In addition to his wife, Sarah, and sons, Jonah, Eli and Abe, Crosby’s parents, brother, aunt, uncle and in-laws all came to celebrate with him.

Crosby was also delighted and humbled by the presence of old high school, college and law school friends, colleagues he worked with in Seward County and the City of Omaha, and the judges with whom he now works.

“I want everyone to know that I’m deeply moved by the fact that you would spend this time with me,” Crosby said. “Judges, I’m so happy and impressed and awed that you took the time to come and spend this time with me.”

Crosby spent the first 10 years of his career working in the Seward County and Omaha prosecutor’s offices, as a deputy county attorney and assistant city prosecutor, respectively.

Since 2013, he practiced juvenile and criminal law for Vacanti Shattuck, where he gained experience representing children and parents in abuse and neglect cases, and juvenile offenders in delinquency cases. He has also served as a guardian ad litem since 2013.

In her remarks, Seward County Attorney Wendy Elston remembered a young Jonathon Crosby, full of enthusiasm and idealism as he began his legal career at the Seward County attorney’s office.

“He had a passion for working with juveniles,” Elston said.

Crosby earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and psychology from Doane University, and he received his Juris Doctor from the University of Nebraska College of Law.

In addition to his work as an attorney, Crosby has also taught criminal justice courses at Metropolitan Community College since 2010.

Reminiscent of the young attorney in Seward County, Crosby is eager and excited to start his career as a juvenile court judge.

“The last month or so on the bench have been the most enjoyable of my career,” Crosby said. “And second place isn’t even close. I’m excited to head to work every morning. I have energy and I do have a passion and I don’t see that going away.”

Crosby was appointed to the Separate Juvenile Court of Sarpy County in September by Gov. Pete Ricketts to fill the vacancy left by the retirement of Judge Larry Gendler earlier this year.