Judge Frankie J. Moore, President

Greetings colleagues! I am humbled and honored to serve as your President for the 2024-2025 year. I am very fortunate to follow in the footsteps of so many distinguished officers and members that have made our Council into such a vibrant and active organization. My sincere hope is to continue with the same energy and commitment as my predecessors. I truly believe that the Council offers invaluable benefits to our members; from our terrific annual conferences, to our expanding virtual opportunities to engage in learning and candid discussions of ways to enhance the efficiency and operations of our courts.

My husband and I both graduated from the University of Nebraska College of Law. When in a weak moment we decided to get a puppy this past summer, we had to come up with an agreeable name. We settled on “Roscoe” in honor of Roscoe Pound, an American legal scholar and educator. He was born in my hometown of Lincoln, Nebraska. He was dean of our law college from 1903 to 1911, and was also dean of Harvard Law School from 1916 to 1936, among many other notable roles. One of his more famous quotes is “the law must be stable, but it must not stand still.” I believe this theory applies to our work as judges and to this organization.

I have chosen the theme of “Equal Justice Under Law” for the 2025 conference in Washington D.C. Those words are inscribed on the front of the United States Supreme Court building and serve as a beacon to highlight the role of our branch of government. In 2015, the Conference of Chief Justices adopted Resolution 5 (also adopted by this organization), reaffirming the commitment to meaningful access to justice for all. I am particularly sensitive to the plight of those who are not able to access our judicial system in a meaningful way, whether it be as a result of poverty, disability, language barriers, or other impediments. I hope to have a dialogue throughout this year of ways that we, as appellate judges, can assist in the goal of providing equal access to our courts. If your particular court has a program to provide pro bono or other types of assistance to self-represented appellate litigants, I would appreciate hearing from you.

Involvement in the Council has highlighted to me the uniqueness of each state’s intermediate appellate courts, and it has provided opportunities to consider other methods of operating our courts to improve the administration of justice. While there are many iterations of appellate courts around the country, we serve a common purpose of upholding the constitutions of our country and states, as well as the rule of law. I also believe that each of us is committed to serving our citizens by providing fair and just decisions. As leaders of our respective courts, both past and present, may we strive to have minds for justice and hearts for compassion. What better way to maintain this commitment than to engage with our colleagues from around the country. And let me add that the friendships that are made through involvement in this organization are splendid!

I look forward to serving you in the coming year.

Hon. Frankie J. Moore,
Judge, Nebraska Court of Appeals
CCJSCA President