A 49-year-old deputy county attorney soon will join the bench of the Separate Juvenile Court of Lancaster County.

Gov. Pete Ricketts announced Monday he appointed Michelle “Shellie” Sabata to the court.

Sabata has worked in the Lancaster County Attorney’s Office since 1998. She reviews investigations to make charging decisions, including in cases of abuse and neglect for juveniles, and adjudicating cases with rehabilitative plans for families appearing in the juvenile court. Sabata spent many years serving on the Lancaster County Juvenile Drug Treatment Court and Lancaster County Family Drug Court, according to a news release from the Governor’s Office.

Sabata holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration from Doane College and a Juris Doctor from the University of Nebraska College of Law.  She is a member of the Nebraska Bar Association, American Bar Association, National District Attorneys Association, and Nebraska County Attorneys Association.

Ricketts passed up Sabata in his appointment of Elise M.W. White to the court in April. Sabata was a finalist in that opening, as well as one of four applicants this time.

 She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Linda S. Porter at the end of August.

Sabata is a lifelong Lincolnite and is active in the community as an adjunct professor at Concordia University, as a volunteer judge for mock trial and oral argument competitions at the Nebraska College of Law and a long-time volunteer with local youth sports organizations. She also serves on the Leadership Council of HopeLNK Suicide Prevention Coalition.