Douglas County District Court judge ticketed for DUI

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - A Douglas County District Court Judge has been ticketed for driving under the influence.

Tressa Alioth of Bennington was stopped at 2:26 a.m. July 2 near 166th and Whitmore streets by a Douglas County Sheriff’s Deputy.

According to the citation obtained by 6 News, the deputy ticketed her for four misdemeanors: DUI-alcohol-1st offense, transporting a child while intoxicated, refusing to submit to a pretest, and driving left of center.

The ticket indicates her blood alcohol level was 0.088%. Nebraska DUI law considers anything at 0.08% or higher to be driving while intoxicated.

Joe Naatz, the judge’s attorney, tells 6 News that they won’t be commenting at this time.

Alioth was appointed as District Court Judge by Gov. Pete Ricketts in April 2021. She spent 23 years as a deputy county attorney with the Douglas County Attorney’s Office.

6 News contacted Omaha City Prosecutor Kevin Slimp who said he had not yet had the opportunity to review the evidence and declined to comment.

Alioth is due in court Aug. 15.

6 News spoke with a couple of defense attorneys not connected to the case to see what the typical punishment is for these types of charges — if they stand and the person is found guilty.

Often it’s at least six months probation, a fine, and the loss of the person’s driver’s license; but since it’s a first-offense DUI, they’re generally allowed to drive with an interlock, which are devices that require the driver to blow into them to verify there’s no alcohol in their system before they can start the vehicle.

Remember, though: Judges are held to a higher standard and are subject to discipline under the Judicial Qualifications Commission.

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