LINCOLN – On Sep 29th, Governor Pete Ricketts appointed S. Colin Palm of Plattsmouth to the County Court, Second Judicial District (consisting of Cass, Otoe, and Sarpy counties).

Palm, 50, has served in the Cass County Attorney’s Office since August 2000.  He has been the office’s County Attorney since 2018 after having worked as Chief Deputy County Attorney from 2003 to 2018.  As County Attorney, Palm’s primary practice has involved criminal law trial work.  He has prosecuted felony, misdemeanor, and traffic cases in District and County Court.  In addition to his criminal law practice, Palm has handled all of the inheritance tax cases in Cass County.  Prior to his time in the Cass County Attorney’s Office, Palm served as Deputy County Attorney in Adams County from 1998 to 2000.  He has broad experience in all types of criminal cases and has tried numerous bench and jury trials during his career.

Palm holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a Juris Doctor from the University of Nebraska College of Law.  He is a member of the Nebraska Bar Association, Nebraska County Attorneys Association, and National District Attorneys Association.

Palm has been actively involved with youth in the community.  Since 2014, he has been a volunteer leader of the Cass County Sheriff’s Office Youth Academy, a program that meets weekly during the school year.  The Academy instructs high school students from Cass, Sarpy, and Otoe counties in all aspects of a career in law enforcement.  Palm is currently a Merit Badge Counselor for the Boy Scouts of America.  He has previously served as a cub scout den leader in Bellevue. 

Palm regularly instructs and trains the Cass County Sheriff’s Office and the Plattsmouth Police Department as part of their continuing education requirements to maintain certification as law enforcement officers.  In 2016, he was honored with the Mothers Against Drunk Driving Hero Award for his outstanding work.

Palm fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Robert C. Wester.

The primary place of office for the judgeship is Papillion, Sarpy County, Nebraska.