Complex Issues in Juvenile Court Practice XVIII

Creighton University
Mike and Josie Harper Center
Ahmanson Ballroom
602 N 20th St
Omaha, NE 68102

or Online 

Conference links to be sent a week prior to the event.

Parking is available on the roof of the 20th Street parking garage (Lot G5) south of the Harper Center, surface parking (Lot 5A) south of the Harper Center, and any available street parking as space allows. Click here to view the parking map.

$100

Need help registering? Click here.

Now in its 18th year, this seminar aims to address some of the complex areas of juvenile court practice. This year’s seminar will focus heavily upon mental health issues and will feature a presentation by Aaron Christopher White, PhD, on psychological evaluations of juveniles; as well as a panel presentation by three mental health professionals on the appropriate use and value of family therapy in juvenile court proceedings. 

We are also pleased to have the Honorable Vernon C.R. Daniels—who will be retiring at the end of this year—share his experiences and perspectives on improving juvenile court practice. 

In May, 2026, the Nebraska Supreme court approved guidelines for attorneys who serve as guardians ad litem for parents which will become effective in January, 2027. The seminar will include a presentation on the “nuts and bolts” of the new guidelines. 

This seminar is co-sponsored by the Guardian ad Litem Project, Inc., a Nebraska non-profit corporation, Creighton University School of Law, and Creighton University Office of Continuing Education.  

Registrants will also receive a link to order a copy of Juvenile Court Law and Practice (Thomson-Reuters Pub., 20th Ed., 2026-2027) by Christine P. Costantakos, JD, at a special discounted rate. 

Lawyers, Law Students, Juvenile Justice and Child Advocates

• Guardian ad Litem Project, Inc.
• Creighton University School of Law
• Creighton University College of Professional and Continuing Education

Friday, October 30, 2026

All times listed are in Central Time (CT).

8:15 a.m.
Registration

8:40 a.m.
Welcome
Craig Dallon, Professor of Law
Creighton University School of Law

8:45 a.m.
Psychological Evaluations Unpacked: A Practical Guide for Juvenile Court Professionals
Aaron Christopher White, PhD

10 a.m.
Break

10:15 a.m.
Caselaw and Statutory Update
Chris Costantakos, JD
Patrick Ryan, JD

10:45 a.m.
Applying "Complex Issues in Juvenile Court Practice" (A View From the Bench)
Hon. Vernon C.R. Daniels
Separate Juvenile Court of Douglas County

12 p.m.
Lunch

12:30 p.m.
Family Therapy Panel
Glenda Cottam, PhD, JD
Sara Batter, MSW, LIMHP
Jody Jurgens, LMHP

1:45 p.m.
Paternity Issues in Juvenile Proceedings
Patrick Ryan, JD

2:30 p.m.
Break

2:45 p.m.
The Evolution of Kinship Care
Nikki Novak
DHHS Service Delivery Administrator I – Relative Kinship Support

3:30 p.m.
Ethics: Zealous Representation: Duties of the Guardian ad Litem for a Parent
Chris Costantakos, JD

4:30 p.m.
Adjournment

Sara Batter, MSW, LIMHP, LADC, is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker and Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor with more than 15 years of experience working with children, adolescents, adults, and families across various settings. She currently provides diagnostic evaluations, individual and family therapy, clinical supervision, and treatment for co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders at her private practice. Sara also serves as a Mental Health Practitioner at the Children's Behavioral Health and Wellness Center in the Crisis Assessment Center.

Sara's clinical work is grounded in a trauma-informed, family-systems, and attachment-based approach. She has extensive experience supporting families involved in child welfare, juvenile justice, with particular expertise in trauma, family conflict, divorce and blended family dynamics, and parent-child relationship challenges. 

Throughout her career, Sara has provided intensive family preservation services, in-home interventions, outpatient therapy, substance use treatment, and crisis assessment services. These experiences have given her a unique perspective on the factors that contribute to successful family reunification, family engagement, and therapeutic outcomes in court-involved cases.

In addition to her clinical work, Sara serves as Vice Chair of the Nebraska Board of Mental Health Practice and has represented Nebraska as a delegate to the Association of Social Work Boards since 2020. Through these leadership roles, she contributes to professional licensure oversight, regulatory development, and the advancement of ethical and competent mental health practice.

Glenda Cottam, PhD, JD,  earned her doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Mississippi and, after serving as a psychologist in the United States Air Force, she enrolled in Creighton University School of Law as a part-time student.  For almost 40 years, she has provided counseling services for individuals and families, as well as writing hundreds of psychological reports  (including Individual Psychological assessments, Parental Fitness assessments, Attachment and Bonding Assessments, and Custody Evaluations).  With regard to Juvenile Court, over the years, she has been involved in many complicated reunification/termination cases.  She has served as a Guardian ad Litem and as a Rule 706 Court-Appointed Expert. While attending law school, she became a certified mediator---and she continues to assist in trainings for Specialized Alternative Dispute Resolution for higher conflict cases. She serves on the Mental Health Board for Sarpy and Cass Counties. She is in her tenth year of serving on the Ethics Committee for the Nebraska Psychological Association.  She has also been active as a volunteer consultant for the Wellness Court, a problem-solving court in Sarpy County.  She was recently certified as a Parent Coordinator by the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts.  In her free time, Dr. Cottam enjoys travelling all over the world and expanding her skills in the UNL Master Gardener Program.  

Jody Jurgens, LMHP, has provided individual, family, and child therapy at Family Enrichment, Inc. for the past 36 years. Throughout her career, she has developed extensive expertise in addressing child-parent conflict, high-conflict divorce, family relationship challenges, grief, and trauma.

Jody specializes in working with both children and adults experiencing ADHD, anxiety, and depression. She has served as a training therapist for Child Psychiatry Fellows for more than 30 years and has provided consultation services to Catholic schools for 35 years, supporting students, families, and educational professionals.

Recognized for her clinical expertise, Jody has frequently been called upon to provide expert testimony in both District Court and Juvenile Court matters. Her decades of experience working with complex family systems, mental health concerns, and court-involved families have made her a respected resource for attorneys, judges, and community professionals.

Jody is dedicated to helping individuals and families navigate life's challenges, fostering healing, resilience, and healthier relationships.

Nikki Novak is from Omaha, NE. She received a Master’s degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in Public Administration with a concentration in Public Management in 2015 and a Bachelor’s degree in human services from College of St. Mary in Omaha in 2005. 

Nikki has spent the entire duration of her professional career in the Human Services field.  Her experience includes direct case management as well as supervisory positions with organizations including Nebraska Families Collaborative, Child Saving Institute and Boys Town.  Her position at Boys Town included supervisory roles in the foster care services division in both Nebraska and Rhode Island. Nikki was the Director of foster care services at Saint Francis Ministries, where her professional duties included outreach, training, assessment, and oversight of current and potential foster care placements across Nebraska. 

Currently, Nikki is employed as a Foster Care Administrator with the Department of Health and Human Services at the State of Nebraska. Nikki assisted with the development of the relative kinship support program. She has served on numerous committees including the Boys Town “Father’s Matter” committee and the Nebraska Children’s Commission Strengthening Families Act Taskforce, serving as a co-chair for the trafficking subcommittee.  

Nikki is passionate about serving our most vulnerable population in the community and enjoys bringing positive changes to their lives.  She is humbled to have dedicated her career to being an advocate for those who need it most.

Aaron Christopher White, PhD, is a licensed psychologist in the State of Nebraska and the sole owner of Bridging the Gap Psychological Services, LLC. Dr. White completed his predoctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship at the Munroe-Meyer Institute at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, specializing in the Integrated Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders through the Nebraska Internship Consortium in Professional Psychology. Originally from outside Nebraska, Dr. White has resided in the state for the past six years. He earned his doctoral degree in School Psychology from Mississippi State University.

Dr. White’s clinical practice centers on comprehensive psychological evaluations for youth ages 2 through emerging adulthood, with particular expertise in neurodevelopmental disorders including autism spectrum disorder. Additionally, he specializes in psychological assessment for cases involving Juvenile Probation and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. Over the years, Dr. White has developed collaborative relationships with probation officers, case managers, and families, facilitating thorough and meaningful evaluations that emphasize individualized recommendations tailored to the needs of each child and family system.

His work is distinguished by a commitment to providing actionable, family-centered guidance that supports youth and their caregivers within the juvenile justice and child welfare systems. Outside of his professional endeavors, Dr. White values work-life harmony and enjoys rock climbing, traveling, and spending time with his animals and family.

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JUDGES

Honorable Vernon C.R. Daniels is a Benson High alum. He attended Doane College where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. He received his Master of Arts degree in Political Science, and his Doctor of Law degree from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. 

He is the recipient of the Lyndon Baines Johnson scholarship and was the two-time recipient of the Reginald Heber Smith fellowship. In 2001, he was appointed by Governor Johannes to the bench of the Separate Juvenile Court of Douglas County Nebraska. He has served as a member of the Nebraska Supreme Court Commission on Children in the Courts; the Governor's Children's Task Force; and the Supreme Court-Nebraska State Bar Association's Minority and Justice Task Force and Implementation Committee. Judge Daniels organized the Juvenile Law Section of the Nebraska State Bar Association.

He is the former chairperson of the LB 1184 treatment team. He was a member of the steering committee of the “Building Bright Futures” initiative as well as a member of the organizing committee to establish “Radius,” a specialized restorative residential program for justice-involved youth. He was also a member of the Boy Scouts’ diversion program, the City of Omaha Race Relations Commission, and the Commission on Juvenile Diversion Detention and Probation Uniform Standards. He headed the scholars’ program for high-risk youth at Monroe Middle School, and also served on the board of the Midlands Mentoring Partnership, an organization dedicated to improving the quality and quantity of mentoring relationships to make a positive impact upon youth in Nebraska.

In 2006, he was elected to the Board of Trustees for Doane College where he served on the Academic Affairs Committee as well as chairperson of the Board’s Standing Committee for Diversity and Inclusion. He has served as Co-chair of the Douglas County Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative (JDAI). In 2009, Governor Heineman appointed him to the Nebraska Coalition for Juvenile Justice. He served for three years on the Legislation Committee of the Nebraska State Bar Association and is a current member of the Midlands Bar Association. 

Judge Daniels is the recipient of the Nebraska State Bar Association’s 2011 “Diversity Award” as well as the Association’s 2013 “Award of Appreciation.” He was awarded the Child Saving Institute's 2011 “A. W. Clark Award,” recognizing individuals who demonstrate vision and continuing outstanding service to children, youth, and families in the community. He received the Urban League's 2012 “Government Leader Award,” recognizing individuals who have demonstrated excellence, integrity, and impact in public service.  In 2012, he received Charles Drew Health Center’s “Community Service Award.” In 2014, he was selected as a fellow of the Nebraska State Bar Foundation. In 2021, he was honored with the “Distinguished Judge Award” from the Nebraska Supreme Court. 

Judge Daniels enjoys mentoring new attorneys as well as law students at the University of Nebraska-College of Law and the Creighton University School of Law, where he currently serves as an adjunct professor.

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ATTORNEYS

Chris Costantakos, JD, a member of the Guardian ad Litem Project, Inc., and a Creighton Law graduate, has practiced extensively in the area of juvenile court law for over 30 years. She is the author of Juvenile Court Law and Practice, a Nebraska practice manual published by Thomson-Reuters, now in its 21st edition. A member of the Nebraska Supreme Court Commission on Children in the Courts, she is the co-chair of its Guardian ad Litem Subcommittee. She received the “Shining Light Award” from the Nebraska State Bar Foundation in 2013 for excellence in legal research for her book. 

Patrick Ryan, JD, is the lead juvenile courtroom attorney for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services in Douglas County, Nebraska, where he’s been employed since 2021. He graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Law and received his license to practice in 2018. He is an Omaha native, and returned to Omaha in 2021 after beginning his legal career as a solo, general practitioner in Nuckolls County, Nebraska. He now specializes in juvenile dependency/abuse/neglect cases.

In his free time, Patrick is an avid cyclist and rode over 4,200 miles in the last calendar year. He also enjoys cooking and gaming in his free time.

Office of Continuing Education
College of Professional and Continuing Education
Creighton University
402.280.1830
CLE@creighton.edu