Lincoln Journal Star 10/14/2022
For Lancaster County Public Defender, the Journal Star editorial board endorses Kristi Egger.
“For Lancaster County Public Defender, the Journal Star editorial board endorses Kristi Egger.
Egger, a Democrat, quit her job as a 32-year deputy public defender to run for and bring new leadership to the office. That leadership would include hands-on work in the courtroom, reviewing case loads to better serve clients and county taxpayers by reducing the number of cases referred to outside attorneys, and expanding efforts to increase the use of problem-solving courts.
Republican Trevin Preble is aiming at changing the office’s culture, too, increasing the use of problem solving courts and other tools to address any client’s mental health and substance abuse issues and would bring his experience as a criminal defense attorney to the courtroom.
Egger's experience and career-long dedication to the office, however, earn her the endorsement.”
Lincoln Journal Star 10/3/2022
Letter: Egger best for public defender
“Kristi Egger is running for public defender in Lancaster County. She has my full support, and I urge you to vote for her in this election.
The Public Defender’s Office is not a high-profile political office, but its core function, providing high-quality legal services to indigents, is essential to the principles of equal justice and fairness of process.
From my 36 years of experience as Lancaster County public defender, I believe that the most important qualifications for this position are integrity, experience and commitment to the mission of the office. Kristi Egger has all three.
Having been her colleague for almost 30 years, I can personally attest to Kristi’s integrity and good character. She is by far the most experienced candidate in this race, with more than 33 years of experience in providing direct legal services in all types of cases.
Her commitment to the mission of the office is unquestioned. Kristi worked part time as a law clerk in my office while in law school and took a job in a public defender’s office in another county (at great personal sacrifice) until a position did open up in our office and I hired her.
Please join me in voting for Kristi Egger for Lancaster County public defender.”
Dennis R. Keefe, Lincoln
Lincoln Journal Star 10/18/2022
Letter: Egger has right experience
“The election for Lancaster County Public Defender is technically a partisan race, with a Democrat and Republican candidate. However, voters should make their choice for this race based not on party but rather on the qualifications that matter most: experience, dedication, competence and service.
The mission of the Public Defender’s Office is to provide constitutionally-mandated, quality legal representation to defendants who cannot afford to hire an attorney. An experienced public defender will run an efficient office that serves clients while saving taxpayer dollars.
Conversely, inexperienced leadership in the Public Defender’s Office could be disastrous. We only need to look at the $28 million judgment against Gage County in the Beatrice 6 case to see what happens when the justice system does not run as it should. We cannot let this happen in Lancaster County.
Kristi Egger has nearly four times the experience of her opponent. For 33 years she worked as a deputy public defender. Kristi has handled thousands of cases and every type of case to which the office is appointed. Someone who’s only been an attorney for less than 10 years and has never even worked in a public defender’s office cannot come close to this record of service.
Kristi is not a politician. She has devoted her entire career to the mission of the Public Defender’s Office. Help ensure that Lancaster County's justice system runs effectively and efficiently. Vote for Kristi Egger for Lancaster County Public Defender.
Margene Timm, Lincoln
“Kristi is a zealous advocate for our indigent population in Lancaster County. She has a stellar reputation of upholding the Constitutional rights of her clients and has worked diligently to ensure that the folks she represents have her time and attention. Kristi will show up and do the job.”
-Susan Tast, Lancaster County Deputy Public Defender; Asst. City Attorney, (retired)
“My friend and former employee Kristi Egger is running for election to the office of Lancaster County Public Defender. Please vote for her. I have known Kristi for over thirty years. I have personally observed her to be a hardworking, dedicated fighter for the rights of those accused of crimes. She is a lawyer who can be counted upon in a struggle. Kristi will be there! The office of Public Defender is an important component of county government. The office holder should be someone who cares about the mission and the county employees who work there. Kristi’s election to the office would be a distinct improvement to the leadership of that office and I sincerely urge the voters of Lancaster County to elect her.
-Sean Brennan, Brennan, Nielsen, & Wooster Law Office, Lincoln
“Please join me in voting for Kristi Egger as Lancaster County Public Defender. It has often been said that a society is measured by how it treats its most vulnerable members. It is hard to imagine a more vulnerable person than one who is poor and accused of a crime or facing a civil commitment. It is not easy to represent these people. In addition to the fact that they are afflicted with the worst disease of all - poverty - they frequently suffer from mental illness, addiction, and a lack of basic living and social skills. A public defender is part lawyer, part therapist, and part social worker. I’ve known Kristi for 25 years, and I cannot think of a person who combines these roles better than her.”
-Matt Catlett, Law Office of Matt Catlett, Lincoln
“In my observation in Lancaster County District and County Court, Ms. Egger is a zealous advocate for her clients. She is well-versed in the law. She exhibits the utmost professionalism toward prosecutors while tirelessly fighting for the rights of indigent defendants.”
-Douglas Kerns, Kerns Law Office, Lincoln
Attorney Endorsements
John S. Berry Jr., Berry Law, Omaha
Jon Braaten, ACW Law Firm, Lincoln
Sean J. Brennan, Brennan, Nielsen, & Wooster Law Office, Lincoln
Linsey Camplin, McHenry Haszard Law, Lincoln
Matt Catlett, Law Office of Matt Catlett, Lincoln
Stephanie Flynn, Stephanie Flynn Law Office, Lincoln
Dennis R. Keefe, Lancaster County Public Defender (retired), Lincoln
Scott Helvie, Chief Deputy Lancaster County Public Defender (retired), Lincoln
Mary J. Hewitt, Choice Change Consequence, LLC., Lincoln
Stephanie Hupp, McHenry Haszard Law, Lincoln
Amy Jacobsen, Deputy Douglas County Attorney, Omaha
Douglas Kerns, Kerns Law Office, Lincoln
Jeanelle Kleveland, Kleveland Law Office, Lincoln
Don Kohtz, Markel Corporation, Omaha
Matt Kosmicki, Matt Kosmicki Law, Lincoln
Abby Osborn, Shiffermiller Law, Lincoln
Nancy Peterson, N K Peterson Law, Lincoln
Joy Shiffermiller, Shiffermiller Law Office, Lincoln
Shelley Stall, Director of UNL Student Legal Services (retired), Lincoln
Gail Steen, Steen Law Office, Lincoln
Susan Tast, Lancaster County Dep. Public Defender (retired); Asst. City Attorney (retired), Lincoln
J. Bruce Teichman, J. Bruce Teichman Law Office, Lincoln
Mariclare Thomas, Mariclare Thomas, PC LLO, Lincoln
Darik Von Loh, Hernandez Frantz, Von Loh, Lincoln