Newly appointed Nebraska Supreme Court Chief Justice Jeffrey Funke delivered his first State of The Judiciary report to lawmakers Tuesday morning. He focused on successful past collaborations between the legislative and judicial branches and asked lawmakers to ensure adequate funding for ongoing needs.
“The partnerships and cooperation between our branches are vital to maintain a society where the law is applied fairly and justice is accessible to all,” Funke says. The chief justice noted successful partnerships on probation, post-release supervision, problem-solving courts and public guardianships.
Funke says the work of the judicial branch to provide innovative and effective adult and juvenile probation and post-release supervision has prevented future crime and kept thousands of individuals from returning to prison at a low cost to taxpayers.
He noted that the recidivism rate for individuals who successfully complete adult probation is 19%, and that less than 10% of individuals under post-release supervision return to the Department of Correctional Services because of a probation revocation.
Funke also touted the success of the Access to Justice Commission, which is working to identify and resolve barriers to equal access to the courts in Nebraska. One result of its work has been the establishment of an in-person self-help center in Douglas County to assist self-representing litigants in filing and processing their cases, he said.
“Over the years, I have seen the positive impact of the work of this body, from approving funds that enable us to maintain and improve court and probation operations across the state, to passing legislation so that our laws remain responsive to the needs of our citizens,” Funke says.
Click here for more of his remarks.
(Photo: Nebraska Legislature)