May/June 2003 issue

New Magistrate Judge for the District of Nebraska: F.A. Gossett III

F.A. Gossett III was sworn in as a United States Magistrate Judge for the District of Nebraska on May 29, 2003. Judge Gossett succeeds Magistrate Judge Kathleen Jaudzemis, who retired in May.

The new judge was born on July 29, 1944, in Columbus, Nebraska. He graduated from Midland College in 1967, and obtained his law degree from Creighton University in 1972. Judge Gossett practiced law, and served as the county attorney of Dodge County, until 1981.

Known for a wry sense of humor, F.A. Gossett was appointed a county judge in 1981. While serving in that capacity, he was elected president of the County Judges Association. During that time he also represented the states of Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, and Missouri on the Executive Committee of the Conference of Special Court Judges of the American Bar Association.

In 1998, Judge Gossett was appointed to the Nebraska District Court and in that year he also received the Distinguished Service Award from the Nebraska Bar Foundation. In 2000, Judge Gossett received the Distinguished Judge Award for Improvement of the Judiciary from the Nebraska Supreme Court.

Judge Gossett is regarded as an expert on evidence. He is also a nationally and internationally respected scholar and teacher of the judicial arts. In 1995, the nonprofit Nebraska Continuing Legal Education corporation solicited and then published his book, entitled Judge Gossett=s Nebraska Evidence Handbook. The judge has taught at the National Judicial College, in Reno, Nevada, for 15 years, serving as chairman of the faculty council in 1997. He has also instructed fellow judges in 25 states. From 1995 through 2002, he traveled to and taught judges in the Russian Federation, Armenia, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands.

Holding one of three authorized magistrate positions for the District of Nebraska, Judge Gossett joins Magistrate Judge David Piester and Magistrate Judge Thomas Thalken. The judge will maintain his office in Omaha, Nebraska, at the newly constructed Roman L. Hruska United States Courthouse.


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