--- title: "Michael W. Jensen | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/michael-w-jensen-district-court-judge-nebraska-district-court-ne" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-07" --- # Michael W. Jensen Nebraska District Court, District 4 · District Court Judge ## Profile - Court: Nebraska District Court, District 4 - State: Nebraska - Role: District Court Judge - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-07-26 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - The appointed District Court Judge for Nebraska’s 4th Judicial District (Douglas County), sworn in April 2026 after being appointed by Governor Jim Pillen - Governor Pillen appointed Jensen in April 2026 from among four finalists, after he held the role of Assistant Attorney General in the Nebraska Department of Justice’s Criminal Bureau - State of Nebraska, Department of Justice Assistant Attorney General Lincoln, NE — 2024-2026 - He held a position as a state Department of Justice law clerk (2004–2005), assistant attorney general (2005–2007), Douglas County deputy county attorney (2007–2022), attorney at Prentiss Grant (2022–2024), and assistant attorney general again (2024–2026) - Douglas County Attorney’s Office Deputy County Attorney Omaha, NE — 2007-2022 - State of Nebraska, Department of Justice Assistant Attorney General Lincoln, NE — 2005-2007 - State of Nebraska, Department of Justice Law clerk Lincoln, NE — 2004-2005 ### Education - Creighton University — J.D. (2005) - University of Nebraska–Lincoln — B.S., agriculture, 2001 ### Additional information - Michael W. Jensen joined Nebraska’s 4th Judicial District Court in Douglas County in 2026. - 2022-2024 Prentiss Grant, LLCAttorney Omaha, NE - Jensen is active in the Nebraska State Bar Association, Omaha Bar Association, and Iowa State Bar Association, and has served on the Nebraska State Bar Association’s House of Delegates (2009–2021) - He received the 2019 Operation Urgent Safety law enforcement coordination award. - Selection: Appointed by merit selection with retention; fills a vacancy created when Justice Derek R. Vaughn joined the Nebraska Supreme Court - Handling homicides, assaults, and in‐custody deaths Before that, Jensen had 15 years with the Douglas County Attorney’s Office and two years as an attorney with Prentiss Grant, LLC in Omaha. - His appointment was notable for being one of four finalists, with the vacancy arising from a Supreme Court appointment - Governor Jim Pillen’s appointment announcement identifies him as successor to Derek Vaughn. ## Before you appear - Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed. - Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance. - Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding. ## Courtroom Rules ### media requests Scope: statewide Nebraska directs media requests to broadcast or photograph court proceedings to the Supreme Court media-coverage rules and published expanded-media-coverage process. Evidence excerpt: Media requests to broadcast or take still photos of court proceedings are governed by Nebraska Supreme Court rule §2-118 [Media Information and Court Coverage Protocol](https://supremecourt.nebraska.gov/rules/administrative-policies-schedules/media) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### non public areas Scope: statewide Nebraska requires media requests to film or photograph non-public courthouse areas to be submitted to the resident or presiding judge of the Judicial District. Evidence excerpt: Media requests to film or photograph in non-public areas, e.g. private offices or employee work areas not located in public areas must be submitted [Media Information and Court Coverage Protocol](https://supremecourt.nebraska.gov/rules/administrative-policies-schedules/media) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### trial court expanded coverage Scope: statewide Nebraska permits expanded news media coverage in county and district courtrooms unless the trial-court expanded-coverage rules provide otherwise. Evidence excerpt: Expanded news media coverage shall be permitted in the county and district courtrooms in Nebraska courts [§ 6-2001. Scope; limitations.](https://supremecourt.nebraska.gov/supreme-court-rules/chapter-6-trial-courts/article-20-rules-expanded-news-media-coverage-nebraska-trial-courts/%C2%A7-6-2001-scope-limitations) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### juvenile court coverage Scope: statewide Nebraska does not permit expanded news media coverage in actions pending in Nebraska juvenile courts. Evidence excerpt: Expanded news media coverage therefore is not permitted in actions pending in Nebraska’s juvenile courts. [§ 6-2001. Scope; limitations.](https://supremecourt.nebraska.gov/supreme-court-rules/chapter-6-trial-courts/article-20-rules-expanded-news-media-coverage-nebraska-trial-courts/%C2%A7-6-2001-scope-limitations) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### appellate media coverage Scope: statewide Nebraska permits broadcasting, televising, recording, and photographing in Supreme Court and Court of Appeals courtroom proceedings under Rule 2-117, subject to stated conditions. Evidence excerpt: broadcasting, televising, recording, and photographing will be permitted in all judicial proceedings in the courtroom during sessions [§ 2-117. Media coverage of proceedings before the Nebraska Supreme Court and the Nebraska Court of Appeals.](https://supremecourt.nebraska.gov/supreme-court-rules/chapter-2-appeals/article-1-nebraska-court-rules-appellate-practice/%C2%A7-2-117-media-coverage-proceedings-nebraska-supreme-court-and-nebraska-court-appeals) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### appellate equipment Scope: statewide Nebraska appellate media equipment quantity and type are subject to Chief Justice discretion, and equipment location is designated by the Chief Justice or Chief Judge. Evidence excerpt: The quantity and types of equipment permitted in the courtroom shall be subject to the discretion of the Chief Justice [§ 2-117. Media coverage of proceedings before the Nebraska Supreme Court and the Nebraska Court of Appeals.](https://supremecourt.nebraska.gov/supreme-court-rules/chapter-2-appeals/article-1-nebraska-court-rules-appellate-practice/%C2%A7-2-117-media-coverage-proceedings-nebraska-supreme-court-and-nebraska-court-appeals) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://supremecourt.nebraska.gov/courts/hon-michael-w-jensen) - [Official roster](https://supremecourt.nebraska.gov/courts/hon-michael-w-jensen) - [Nebraska Judicial Branch official judicial roster](https://supremecourt.nebraska.gov/courts/hon-michael-w-jensen) - [Media Information and Court Coverage Protocol](https://supremecourt.nebraska.gov/rules/administrative-policies-schedules/media) - [§ 6-2001. Scope; limitations.](https://supremecourt.nebraska.gov/supreme-court-rules/chapter-6-trial-courts/article-20-rules-expanded-news-media-coverage-nebraska-trial-courts/%C2%A7-6-2001-scope-limitations) - [§ 2-117. Media coverage of proceedings before the Nebraska Supreme Court and the Nebraska Court of Appeals.](https://supremecourt.nebraska.gov/supreme-court-rules/chapter-2-appeals/article-1-nebraska-court-rules-appellate-practice/%C2%A7-2-117-media-coverage-proceedings-nebraska-supreme-court-and-nebraska-court-appeals) - [hon-michael-w-jensen](https://nebraskajudicial.gov/courts/hon-michael-w-jensen) - [Official Nebraska current judicial roster](https://nebraskajudicial.gov/directories/district-court-judges) - [hon-michael-w-jensen](https://nebraskajudicial.gov/courts/hon-michael-w-jensen) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/michael-w-jensen-district-court-judge-nebraska-district-court-ne", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/michael-w-jensen-district-court-judge-nebraska-district-court-ne", "name": "Michael W. Jensen | KnowJudges", "description": "Michael W. 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Scope; limitations.](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-9b78337701e261589c5b3f96) — Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim. Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory. [Official source](https://supremecourt.nebraska.gov/supreme-court-rules/chapter-6-trial-courts/article-20-rules-expanded-news-media-coverage-nebraska-trial-courts/%C2%A7-6-2001-scope-limitations). Collected 2026-07-26.