Patrick R. Runge

Patrick is an attorney who has been in practice since 1995, operating his own law firm based in Omaha, and service the needs of eastern Nebraska. His practice areas have focused on family law, criminal defense, juvenile law, estate planning, and Native American law.

Patrick has also worked in Indian Country since 1995, serving as public defender for the Winnebago Tribe and the Omaha Tribe. Since 2003, Patrick has served as a judge for the Winnebago Tribal Court, and as chief judge since 2010. Patrick also served as the chief judge of the Ponca Tribal Court from 2014 to 2020.

In addition to his private practice and his service to the Winnebago Tribe, Patrick has been an adjunct professor at the Creighton University School of Law, teaching Native American Law to second- and third-year law students on a bi-annual basis since 2012. Patrick is also a faculty member of the Nebraska Victim Advocate Academy held in Omaha.

From 2015 to 2019, Patrick was appointed as defense counsel to the District Six Adult Drug Court based in Blair, Nebraska. In this role, Patrick advocates on behalf of participants in the Drug Court, being their voice and protecting their interests as they work towards achieving a sober life through the structure of the Drug Court process.

Patrick is a member of the Nebraska Supreme Court Commission on Children in the Courts, a statewide body working to improve the service provided to vulnerable children and families in the justice system. He has served on numerous subcommittees of the Commission, and is the chair of the Tribal-State Collaboration subcommittee. Patrick also served as president of the Omaha Barristers in 2012.

From 2016 to 2017, Patrick also served as the Authorized Attorney for child support in Washington County. In that role, Patrick represented the State of Nebraska and assisted in the establishment, modification, and enforcement of child support.

Patrick is a 1994 graduate cum laude of Creighton University School of Law, and a 1991 graduate magna cum laude of the University of Nebraska-Omaha with a BSBA in Economics.

Outside of his legal practice, Patrick is a sportswriter covering Nebraska football for his website, The Double Extra Point. He resides in Omaha with his wife, Mary Beth, their two boys Talik and Trenel, their dog and three cats. He is an active member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Millard.