Judge Riko Bishop Presents to Nebraska Civic Leaders Program at Supreme Court

High school students from across the Omaha Public School District got a firsthand look at how Nebraska’s judicial system works during a visit to the Nebraska Supreme Court courtroom, where they met with Judge Riko Bishop of the Nebraska Court of Appeals.

The students, all juniors, were participating in the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Nebraska Civic Leaders Program, led by Senior Associate Dean and Professor Randy Adkins. Several government teachers accompanied the group for the session focused on civic education and leadership.

Bishop explained the structure and role of Nebraska’s Judicial Branch, helping students understand how courts interpret and apply laws. To bring the experience to life, she presented a hypothetical legal scenario that challenged students to think like judges—applying a single law or rule to a series of changing facts.

“It’s one thing to read about the courts,” Bishop said. “It’s another to sit where the judges sit and try to reason through how the law works in real life.”