Arapahoe attorney appointed district judge

LINCOLN -- Gov. Dave Heineman today announced his appointment of David Urbom as of Arapahoe as district court judge for the Eleventh Judicial District.

The district includes the counties of Arthur, Chase, Dawson, Dundy, Frontier, Furnas, Gosper, Hayes, Hitchcock, Hooker, Keith, Lincoln, Logan, McPherson, Red Willow, Perkins, and Thomas.

"Mr. Urbom's experience both in the private sector and as a county attorney will serve him and the residents of the Eleventh District well in the years to come," Gov. Heineman said. "I have every confidence he will be an excellent jurist."

Urbom served as the Furnas County Attorney from 1979-1995. Prior to his appointment, he was the City Attorney for the town of Cambridge from 1986-1994 and had served as the Village Attorney for Holbrook since 1984. He also maintained a private legal practice in Arapahoe since 1977, where he engaged in general practice.

Urbom, 53, is an officer on the Red Willow County Public Defender Policy Review Board, and is a member of the Nebraska and Kansas State Bar Associations and the Arapahoe Optimist Club. He was honored by the Nebraska State Bar Association in 1996 for his commitment to providing pro bono legal services.

He has been a member of the Arapahoe Board of Education since 1995, serving as President of the board from 1997-1998. He was a member of the Arapahoe Airport Authority Board of Directors from 1982-1988 and has been a member of the Arapahoe Housing Authority board since 1980.

Urbom earned his undergraduate degree in business administration from the University of Nebraska -- Lincoln in 1974 and received his law degree from Washburn University in 1977, where he graduated with honors.

The governor selected Urbom from a field of three finalists that also included Jeffery Meyer of North Platte and Paul Wood of McCook.