Gov. Heineman Appoints Michael Burns of Hastings to 10th Judicial District Judgeship

May 17, 2011  (Lincoln, Neb.) Gov. Dave Heineman today announced his appointment of Michael Patrick Burns of Hastings to serve as a county court judge for the 10th Judicial District of Nebraska, which includes the counties of Adams, Clay, Fillmore, Franklin, Harlan, Kearney, Nuckolls, Phelps, and Webster.

Burns, 44, has practiced law for 18 years in Nebraska. He is a partner at Sullivan, Shoemaker, Witt and Burns in Hastings, where he has worked since 1998.
Nine area lawyers have submitted their names for consideration to be appointed a county judge in the 10th Judicial District in Nebraska.
Making application for the post in addition to Michael Burns were, Jennifer D. Clark, Omaha; Donna S. Fegler Daiss, Hastings; Ryan K. Forrest, Omaha; Stacy R. Nonhof, Grand Island; Michelle J. Oldham, Hastings; Thomas S. Stewart, Kearney; Nancy G. Waldron, Exeter; and Bradley J. White, Hastings.
. The principal place of office for the judicial vacancy is Hastings. The vacancy is due to the retirement of Judge Jack R. Ott.
The Judicial nominating committee narrowed the list down to Burns and Thomas S. Stewart of Kearney and submitted the names of those two nominees to the Governor for his consideration.
 Michael Burns said he is excited, relieved and overwhelmed about his selection as the next judge for the 10th Judicial District.
Burns said he has mixed emotions because he will have to leave his current private practice and step down as Clay County public defender to accept the judgeship.
Burns said he got the call from Gov. Dave Heineman about 9 a.m. Tuesday.
“My staff notified me that it was the governor on the phone, so by the time I walked out of my office door, everyone was standing up looking at me,” Burns said. “I gave them the thumbs up and got congratulations from staff and fellow attorneys.”
After texting his wife, Teri, calling his parents and texting his sister about the news, Burns got back to work.
Prior to entering private practice, he was the Deputy County Attorney for Hall County from 1994 to 1996. In addition to his practice, Burns has been the Public Defender for Clay County since 2006, and has been appointed as a special prosecutor for cases in Adams, Kearney and Phelps Counties. From 1992 to 1993 he served as special prosecutor in the King County Prosecutor’s Office in Seattle.
For more than 12 years, Burns has been on the Board of Directors for the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of South Central Nebraska. He currently serves on the Nebraska Mediation Association’s Board of Directors. Burns is a mediator affiliated with the Central Nebraska Mediation Center since 2004, and has served as chairman of the 10th Judicial District Mental Health Board from 1999 to 2007. He has been a member of the Board of Directors for Legal Aid of Nebraska since its creation in 2000. He was admitted to the Nebraska State Bar in 1993.

Burns received his bachelor’s degree in 1989 from Creighton University and attended Creighton University School of Law, graduating in 1992.
Michael and his wife Teri make their home in Sutton, Nebraska. 
Four years ago Michael Burns was nominated to fill the position of Blue Hill City attorney  by then councilman Andy Alber and was endorsed by Jesse Alber.  After Burns spoke to the council, outlining his qualifications,  it was decided to offer the position of city attorney to Adam Pavelka. Pavelka has since resigned the position.