Shannon Lee Benash

I am currently involved in a juvenile court case in Douglas County, Nebraska. Shannon Benash was appointed as my public defender, and my experience with her has been frustrating, neglectful, and harmful to my case. I informed her that a 2020 abuse and neglect case—which was officially set aside ...and sealed—was being improperly brought up by the County Attorney in my current case. Ms. Benash did nothing to protect me from this violation of my rights. She failed to object in court or file any motion to exclude this sealed information, which should not be used in juvenile proceedings without a special order. Even worse, she does not return my phone calls, refuses to follow up on serious concerns or new evidence I’ve shared, and generally shows no urgency or effort to help me defend myself. This lack of communication and commitment has left me feeling completely unrepresented during an extremely serious legal process. I’ve filed formal complaints with the Nebraska Ombudsman and the Bar Association, and I want others to be aware: If you are assigned or considering Shannon Benash as an attorney, please think twice. In my experience, she is unresponsive, unprepared, and does not advocate for her clients.