[2] His son-in-law, Scott Rolle, became the state's attorney[5] and a circuit court judge in Frederick County, Maryland.
Nissel was appointed a member of the Howard Park advisory board, which was stood up in a contentious effort to purchase land owned by republican commissioner Charles E. Miller as parkland, rather than a hospital development in competition with the Rouse Company's Howard County General Hospital project.
In 1966, Nissel was appointed State's Attorney in March 1966 after Cornelius F. Sybert Jr. vacated the post suddenly.
[7] Later that year, he ran for State Senate on a slate with former county commissioner and land developer Norman E. Moxley against James A. Clark Jr.[8] After losing the election, he served as council to the County Commissioners drafting low-income housing regulations for Ellicott City until leaving for private practice in December 1967, being replaced by Parks attorney Thomas L.
On March 1, 1980, Governor Harry Hughes appointed Nissel to the Circuit Court for Howard County to fill the vacancy created when James Macgill retired.