Sheila Beins started out as the records clerk when she first started in the Seward County Court office.
She’s now celebrating 40 years with the court.
Beins took over as the clerk magistrate in 1985. Her job is to manage the administrative side of the court – tasks like keeping accurate records and making sure case files are ready for the judge.
Beins is originally from eastern Nebraska.
“We moved around a lot before I started school,” she said. “I went to Seward most of the time, but I graduated from York and then I moved back to Seward.”
Beins went to the University of Nebraska in Lincoln and graduated in the summer of 1980. After that, she had her first child and knew it was time to get a job.
“The job for the records clerk was open, so I applied and started that in 1982,” she said.
“After a few years of doing that, I was appointed the clerk magistrate.”
Beins said working as the clerk magistrate can be an interesting job because no day is ever the same.
“We have court for sure on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and Mondays and Fridays are available as needed,” she said. “I don’t actually go in the court very much. I’m more in the office doing the office side of things like case filings or just everything you need to do to run an office.”
After being at the county court for 40 years, Beins said she still enjoys the job.
She also said things have changed quite a bit.
“With technology, things are changing so much, so there’s kind of a new challenge constantly learning new things,” she said. “That and along with the Legislature changing the laws, so you get to learn how that’s going to affect us. I like being able to learn new things instead of just doing the same thing all the time.”
Beins said she plans to stick around awhile longer.
“I plan on staying here until I retire,” she said.
