Gov. Pillen Appoints Kortnei N. Smith as County Court Judge for 11th Judicial District

LINCOLN, NE - On July 8, 2025, Governor Jim Pillen announced his appointment of Kortnei N. Smith of North Platte as county court judge in the 11^th Judicial District. That district includes Arthur, Chase, Dawson, Dundy, Frontier, Furnas, Gosper, Hayes, Hitchcock, ******, Keith, Lincoln, Logan, McPherson, Perkins, Red Willow, and Thomas counties.

Since 2016, Smith has been a deputy county attorney in the Lincoln County Attorney’s office where she has handled both felony and misdemeanor criminal cases, juvenile cases and mental health board hearings. Before that, she was an associate attorney in the firm of Waite, McWha and Heng in North Platte.

Smith fills the vacancy resulting from the retirement of Judge Edward D. Steenburg.