▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁he ▁initially ▁file d ▁for ▁his ▁post ▁at ▁the ▁municipal ▁ben ch ▁to ▁be ▁renew ed , ▁but ▁by ▁March ▁had ▁decided ▁instead ▁to ▁run ▁for ▁district ▁judge ▁in ▁the ▁Four th ▁District ▁of ▁the ▁Neb r aska ▁Cour ts , ▁for ▁which ▁he ▁was ▁end ors ed ▁by ▁the ▁O ma ha ▁Jud icial ▁Cit iz ens ▁Committee , ▁O ma ha ▁Bar ▁Association , ▁and ▁the ▁O ma ha ▁Civil ▁Libert ies ▁Union . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁elected ▁and ▁initially ▁sl ated ▁to ▁handle ▁equ ity ▁cases ▁and ▁civil ▁law su its ▁heard ▁without ▁jur ies ▁– ▁many ▁of ▁his ▁cases ▁would ▁involve ▁d run ken ▁driving ▁and ▁driving ▁inf ra ctions . ▁ ▁So on ▁after ▁his ▁election ▁he ▁was ▁tempor arily ▁replaced ▁on ▁the ▁district ▁ben ch ▁by ▁Edward ▁A . ▁M ull ery ▁while ▁he ▁served ▁in ▁Colorado ▁in ▁the ▁National ▁Guard ▁from ▁October ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 6 1 , ▁to ▁August ▁ 6 , ▁ 1 9 6 2 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 2 ▁Neb r aska ▁did ▁away ▁with ▁popular ▁jud icial ▁elections ▁at ▁the ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁and ▁District ▁Court ▁Level s , ▁replacing ▁elections ▁with ▁yes / no ▁for ▁each ▁judge ▁on ▁the ▁ball ot ▁resulting ▁in ▁a ▁sm o other ▁re - e lection ▁scheme . ▁ ▁Mur phy ▁was ▁retained ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁elections . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 4