When Tressa Alioth was sworn in last year, she quietly became the first Black woman to be appointed as adistrict court judge in Nebraska, a fact even she was surprised to learn.
"Obviously, we’ve had other people of color, just not a Black woman," said the Omaha judge, a graduate of Creighton University School of Law.
In 1971, Elizabeth Davis Pittman became not only the first woman to serve as a judge in the state, but also the first Black person. Edna Atkins followed in1992. Both were county court judges in Douglas County appointed by Democratic governors.
In 2005, Marlon Polk, then a civil attorney in Omaha, became the first Black man to be named a district court judge in Nebraska. This time, by a Republican governor.
Alioth said by the time she learned that Gov. Pete Ricketts had chosen her, making her the first Black woman in the state to preside over the state's most serious cases, she'd already been a prosecutor for 23 years and was familiar with, as she put it, "quite frankly, just lack of diversity in our field, period."
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To be clear, she said she took an oath to uphold the law, just as she did as a prosecutor.
"So it doesn’t change, by any means, the way that I conduct my courtroom," Alioth said. "I believe that everybody has equal justice."
Still, there have been times when she's come out into her courtroom and noticed a look of surprise or calm by someone when they see she looks like they do.
Alioth, who grew up in north Omaha, said she got the same looks as a prosecutor.
She said there are a lot of people who complain about the judicial system, the prosecutorial system and law enforcement. Rather than complain, she challenges them to be part of making it different, making sure the law applies equally.
"Be part of letting everyone know that they have the same voice that others have and are afforded that same opportunity throughout the process,” Alioth said.
She said she's in awe every day that she was the one to break barriers and it was 2021.
"So it just lets us know that there’s still a lot to be done by way of not only judges, but also just the legal profession in general," Alioth said.
In their own words: Judges, lawyers, professors discuss diversity in Nebraska's legal community
On Juneteenth, as the country neared Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's swearing-in as the first Black woman on the U.S. Supreme Court, the Journal Star reached out to several people on the bench, in the legal community and at Nebraska's law schools to ask their thoughtsabout diversity in the state's courtrooms.
We asked what drew them to a career in law; how long they've been working in Nebraska and if they plan to stay; why diversity is important in the judicial system and what can be done to foster diversity in the legal community.
View their answers below.
"I immigrated from a country with little rule of law and it is inspiring every day to be a part of this great country’s system of law and justice."
"We need to help make the journey to law school more accessible for young people. Many people of color or from diverse backgrounds do not have attorneys in their families or broader friend groups."
"Having an awareness that each individual is different and unique based on a culmination of their life experiences is the foundation of equity and fairness."
"One thing that will improve diversity among attorneys and judges here in Nebraska is to try to retain the diverse law students that attend Nebraska law schools."
"No matter who you are, we need lawyers and judges in our communities who look like you or share your life experiences."
"Bringing diversity of skills and experiences to any endeavor can result in a better end-product, whether it is the skill sets needed to build a house or a judicial system."
"In order to apply the law in the most equitable fashion possible, the judicial system must incorporate the varied perspectives of all of its constituents."
Reach the writer at 402-473-7237 or lpilger@journalstar.com.
On Twitter @LJSpilger
Reporter Andrew Wegley contributed to this report.