Judge James Doyle to Retire from District Court Bench
District Court Judge for the 11th Judicial District, James E. Doyle IV, is retiring August 31, 2023.
In his retirement letter to the Governor and Chief Justice, Doyle noted that he is “thankful for the opportunity to have served in the office.”
Counties in Nebraska’s 11th Judicial District include Arthur, Chase, Dawson, Dundy, Frontier, Furnas, Gosper, Hayes, Hitchcock, Hooker, Keith, Lincoln, Logan, McPherson, Perkins, Red Willow, and Thomas.
Doyle is currently presiding judge of the Midwest Nebraska Adult Drug Court in Dawson, Furnas, Gosper, and Lincoln Counties. He is also chairperson of the Nebraska Supreme Court Problem-Solving Court Committee of which he has noted, “Our standards are among the top in the nation. We are committed to excellence and to ensuring that Nebraskans in every court within the state receive consistent, high-quality services.”
As an innovator in court technology, Doyle is the only judge to live stream his court proceedings on YouTube. He was recognized for that modernization by the Nebraska State Bar Association in March 2023 and presented with the “Legal Pioneer” award for identifying and resolving barriers to justice using technology that allowed the public to see and hear proceedings inside the district courtroom without violating COVID restrictions on physical distancing.
Judge Doyle's dedication to the community and the judiciary is underscored by the "Distinguished Judge for Service to the Community" award he received from the Nebraska Supreme Court in 2010. This award is the highest honor a judge can receive from the Court and a testament to his unwavering commitment to public service.
Throughout his tenure, Judge Doyle has been actively involved in numerous judicial committees, contributing his expertise to both the Supreme Court and the Nebraska District Judges Association.
Doyle has served the citizens of the 11th Judicial District since October 2001, having been retained in his position by area voters, most recently in 2022.
The first step in replacing Doyle will be for the Judicial Resources Commission to call a meeting to determine whether his retirement creates a judicial vacancy on the district court within the Judicial District, based on judicial workload statistics.
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