(Lincoln, Neb.) Gov. Dave Heineman today announced that he has appointed Judge William B. Cassel of O’Neill to serve on the Nebraska Supreme Court, Third Judicial District. Judge Cassel currently serves as the Judge of Nebraska Court of Appeals, Third District. As a sitting judge, Judge Cassel will be eligible to begin his service on the Nebraska Supreme Court bench immediately.

Judge Cassel stated, “I am deeply honored by the trust and confidence expressed by this appointment, and I will endeavor to serve the citizens of Nebraska on Nebraska’s highest court to the best of my ability.”

Prior to his appointment as Judge for the Nebraska Court of Appeals, in December 2003, Judge Cassel spent twelve years as Judge for the District Court, Eighth District. Before becoming a judge, Cassel served as a partner and sole practitioner in Ainsworth from 1979 to 1992.

In addition to his legal career, Judge Cassel has assisted the University of Nebraska College of Law with new student orientation on ethics and professionalism. He has been a guest speaker for “Trial Advocacy” and “Appellate Advocacy” classes, and he has served as a trial judge for the class’s final trial before a mock jury. He has served as a “master of the bench” for the Robert Van Pelt American Inn of Court, an educational organization focused on developing high standards of ethics and professionalism for law students and lawyers, over a period of five years.

In his current role, Judge Cassel participated in approximately 5,000 total appeals, including approximately 650 authored opinions and 1,300 authored reports in criminal, civil, domestic, juvenile, workers’ compensation, administrative, and other appeals from Nebraska trial courts, specialized courts, and administrative tribunals. He is a co-recipient, 2011 Nebraska Supreme Court award for “Distinguished Judge for Improvement of the Judiciary,” and has been elected as a fellow of both the Nebraska State Bar Foundation and the American Bar Foundation.

The vacancy was created by the resignation of Judge John M. Gerrard to accept appointment as a judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska.

The Third Judicial District of the Nebraska Supreme Court includes several counties in northeast Nebraska (Antelope, Boone, Boyd, Burt, Cedar, Cuming, Dakota, Dixon, Dodge, Holt, Knox, Madison, Pierce, Platte, Stanton, Thurston, Washington, Wayne, and Wheeler Counties, in addition to portions of Douglas and Sarpy Counties).  A map of the district is available here on the Nebraska Supreme Court website: www.supremecourt.ne.gov.