LINCOLN - Today, Governor Pete Ricketts appointed Jeffrey A. Gaertig of Beatrice as County Court Judge in the First Judicial District. The First Judicial District consists of Gage, Jefferson, Johnson, Nemaha, Pawnee, Richardson, Saline, and Thayer counties.

Gaertig, 48, has practiced law in Beatrice since 2013. He has practiced at Smith Schafer Davis Gaertig since 2016, specializing in criminal defense. In his practice, Gaertig has engaged in complex corporate and commercial litigation on behalf of the firm’s clients. He has also practiced juvenile law and represented individuals in family law matters and cases consisting of both property and custodial disputes in district court.

Prior to practicing law in Beatrice, Gaertig served for seven years as an assistant attorney general for the Nebraska Department of Justice. In that capacity, he worked as a criminal prosecutor in the Child Protection Unit and the Drug and Violent Crime Unit.

Gaertig 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 and the Tri-County Bar Association.

Gaertig is a lifelong Nebraskan. He’s currently a member of Beatrice Sertoma, and he previously served on the board of the Gage County United Way.

He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Steven B. Timm.