Shall Judge Marcela A. Keim of the Douglas County Court be retained in office?
Source: electionresults.nebraska.gov
What does this office do?
- Deciding trials in the county
- Ruling on evidence and setting sentences in criminal cases
- Deciding family, probate, and civil disputes
Affects: Public Safety and Crime Control, Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties, Housing Affordability,
Marcela A. Keim
Nonpartisan · Incumbent
Marcela A. Keim has been a Douglas County Court judge since 2011 and is serving as its presiding (lead) judge. Before that she was an Omaha city prosecutor for seven years and a Douglas County public defender for five years.
Track record
Track record — General
General · 15 records
Created a free Career Closet supplying professional clothing to law students in 2025.
October 6, 2026
Source: nebraskajudicial.gov
Created and managed Project Reconnect’s twice-yearly free legal clinic at Omaha’s Open Door Mission from 2021 to 2024.
October 6, 2026
Source: nebraskajudicial.gov
Provided legal access for homeless and under-housed people through Project Connect with Threshold Continuum of Care beginning in 2024.
October 6, 2026
Source: nebraskajudicial.gov
Led the Robert M. Spire Inn of Court as president in 2015–2016 and served as its community service chair beginning in 2020.
October 6, 2026
Source: nebraskajudicial.gov
Served as a Step-Up Omaha site chair and Empowerment Network partner beginning in 2021.
October 6, 2026
Source: nebraskajudicial.gov
Was designated presiding judge of Douglas County Court for 2026, overseeing court administration, personnel, facilities and liaison duties.
January 15, 2026
Source: nebraskajudicial.gov
Launched a Douglas County Court Docket Management Project after a National Center for State Courts review of case processing and scheduling. The project included implementation phases and activities.
October 16, 2025
Source: nebraskajudicial.gov
Helped develop easier court forms and resources with Judge Stephanie Hansen for the Douglas County Courthouse Self-Help Center pilot. The project assisted people representing themselves.
October 16, 2025
Source: nebraskajudicial.gov
Received the Nebraska Supreme Court’s Distinguished Judge award for Improvement of the Judicial System alongside Judge Stephanie Hansen.
October 8, 2025
Source: nebraskajudicial.gov
Requested a replacement for retiring Douglas County judge Jeffrey Marcuzzo. Her letter argued that twelve judges were needed to maintain court access and handle the county’s caseload.
January 8, 2025
Source: nebraskajudicial.gov
Was appointed to Nebraska’s Supreme Court Committee on Problem-Solving Courts, which reviewed drug and community court structures.
March 27, 2024
Source: nebraskajudicial.gov
Set a $75,000 bond and barred accuser contact for Emanuel and Veronica Rodriguez in a witness-tampering case.
August 29, 2019
Source: ketv.com
Was installed as president of the Nebraska County Court Judges’ Association for 2018–2019.
October 18, 2018
Source: nebraskajudicial.gov
Explained to Douglas County commissioners a court program allowing low-income offenders to pay fines in installments or complete community service instead of serving jail time.
July 11, 2018
Source: 3newsnow.com
Joined Nebraska’s statewide court-security committee on October 18, 2017, and was reappointed on October 24, 2018.
October 18, 2017
Source: nebraskajudicial.gov
Track record — Legal Competence
Legal Competence · 7 favorable · 3 unfavorable
Served as a Douglas County assistant public defender from 1999 to 2004 and an Omaha city prosecutor from 2004 to 2011. Earned her law degree at Creighton University in 1999.
October 6, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: nebraskajudicial.gov
Received 78.48% support for retention from lawyers responding to Nebraska’s 2026 judicial performance survey. They rated her understanding of substantive law 5.2/6, consideration of both sides 4.7/6 and courtroom courtesy 4.5/6.
July 27, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: nebar.com
Ordered a commercial tenant to return leased property to its owner (Martens v. BB’s Childcare). Nebraska’s Supreme Court overturned the judgment because a property-title dispute exceeded the county court’s authority.
May 8, 2026Unfavorable on Legal Competence
Source: nebraska.gov
Granted a grandmother guardianship of a Native American child (In re Guardianship of Eliza W.). Nebraska’s Supreme Court reversed because required child-welfare safeguards and expert evidence were missing.
February 7, 2020Unfavorable on Legal Competence
Source: ne.gov
Fined Donnie Johnson $75 for damaging a mailbox and allowed time to pay (State v. Johnson). Appellate courts upheld the conviction and sentence.
October 3, 2019Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: cases.justia.com
Denied a mother’s requests to end her daughter’s guardianship and restore visits (In re Guardianship of K.R.). Nebraska’s Supreme Court upheld the ruling, finding evidence supported parental unfitness.
September 6, 2019Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: ne.gov
Kept an adult man’s existing guardians and approved transferring his guardianship to Georgia (In re Guardianship of Hamdan). The Court of Appeals upheld her decision in 2019.
August 7, 2018Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: cases.justia.com
Completed Nebraska’s inaugural Judicial Leadership Development Program and received its graduation award.
May 21, 2015Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: nebraskajudicial.gov
Ruled that potential will beneficiaries could not challenge Donald Barnhart’s guardianship based only on inheritance interests. Nebraska’s Supreme Court upheld her ruling in 2015.
March 12, 2014Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: ne.gov
Awarded $14,537 in a plumbing contract case (A. Raymond Plumbing v. Eggers). Appellate courts vacated damages and ordered a new trial because damages were unproven and questioning was barred.
November 7, 2012Unfavorable on Legal Competence
Source: cases.justia.com
Sources: votedouglascounty-ne.gov · sos.nebraska.gov