Fifth-Graders Hold Trial, Tour Johnson County Courthouse

Johnson County Court officials, including Judge Rick Smith, Clerk Magistrate Lisa Hunzeker and Assistant Clerk Senior Nicole Wellensiek, hosted Law Day for fifth-grade students from Johnson County Central and Sterling Public Schools on Thursday, April 30, 2026. The team was supported by Pawnee County Attorney Emily Sisco, Sheriff Lynn Lyon, Johnson County Attorney Benjamin Beethe, Deputy Johnson County Jennifer Stehlik Ladman, and Freeman Public School student Orson Sisco.
This year’s event commenced with a welcoming address by Judge Smith, followed by an impromptu dramatization performed by Orson Sisco. The highlight of the day was a Mock Trial involving the fifth-grade students as attorneys, witnesses, and jurors, with the Johnson County Court team fielding questions from participants. The event concluded at the County Court office, where the students were given a glimpse of court records dating back to the mid 1800s and learned about the evolution of technology in record-keeping. The importance of good citizenship was emphasized as each student was given a star cookie for being “Star 5th Grade Students”.
Law Day was established be President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1958 as a national dedication to the principles of government under the law. In 1961, Congress designated May 1st as the official date to celebrate Law Day. In Nebraska, Law Day Job Shadowing is an annual educational and collaborative program organized by the Nebraska State Bar Foundation and the Nebraska Supreme Court.