Douglas County Court Records
Detailed accounts of court proceedings that take place in Douglas County are documented in compliance with Nebraska Supreme Court Rules and the Rules of the District Court of the Fourth Judicial District. Douglas County Court records are maintained and organized by the Douglas County Clerk of the District Court. They provide a written account of what transpires during court sessions and ensure the integrity and transparency of the court system. These records also aid students, legal professionals, and journalists in research, background checks, and informed reporting. Along with other Douglas County Public Records, court records are disseminated to interested and eligible members of the public per state law.
Are Court Records Public in Douglas County?
Yes. Douglas County court records are accessible to the general public. The Nebraska Public Records Law grants members of the public the right to inspect and obtain copies of court records at the state and county level. However, some records are exempt from public access. Examples of these records include:
- Medical records (except records of births and deaths)
- Records of adoption cases
- Juvenile records
- Court records that have been sealed per a court order or a statute
What Do Douglas County Court Records Contain?
The components of court records vary depending on the case type and type of court hearing the case. In Douglas County, inquirers can access the following case details when they look up a court record:
- Case summary
- Case party information
- The judge notes (if applicable)
- Offense information (criminal only)
- Financial information (costs/judgments assessed and paid)
- Register of actions (documents filed by attorneys, court hearings, and judge orders entered)
Where to Conduct a Douglas County Case Lookup
Court records are generated when a court case is initiated. The initial document, usually a complaint, indictment, or petition, is filed by the case parties. As the case progresses, other information, such as motions, answers, evidence, exhibits, transcripts, and judgments, is also added to the records. The following offices and departments in Douglas County have custody of these records:
How to Conduct a Douglas County Case Records Search
The first place to look while searching for court records in Douglas County is the specific court where the case was heard. The Clerk of the court maintains these records and makes them available upon request.
Individuals who wish to access Douglas County court records online can do so via Nebraska's JUSTICE One-Time Case Search portal. The platform provides the public access to records of all courts in Douglas County. Each search returns up to 30 records and costs $15. When the search returns too many results, users can modify the search until the results are less than or equal to 30. If a search produces no results at all, the $15 fee still applies. The service allows users to view and print the search results within three (3) days of performing the search. Note that only subscribers to Nebraska's website can access records on the case search platform.
Records in the custody of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals can be accessed via the SCCALES case management system. Users must be Nebraska.gov subscribers to use this service. Two search methods are available on the SCCALES platform: Search by appellate case number and search by trial case number. A fee of $1 is charged from a user's Nebraska.gov account for each case detail retrieved from the search. No additional cost is incurred when users view document images.
Alternatively, inquirers can make an in-person visit to the Clerk of the District Court's Office or submit a written request to the following address:
The Clerk of the District Court
300 Hall of Justice
1701 Farnam Street, 3rd Floor
Omaha, NE 68133
Inquirers are advised to call the office ahead at (402) 444-7619 before visiting to confirm if the record is available or archived and needs to be retrieved. Individuals who submit a written request also need to contact the office to find out the cost of the request. The fees depend on the number of pages in the requested document. The District Court processes court record requests within 72 hours.
Douglas County Civil Court Case Records
Civil court records are legal documents that contain the details of civil proceedings. Civil cases often involve property or personal rights. Typical examples include landlord-tenant disagreements, automobile accidents, breach of warranty, contract disputes, and professional liability suits. The County Court's Civil and Small Claims Division handles all civil cases in Douglas County. The Division handles disputes between private citizens, governmental bodies, corporations, or other organizations.
The Douglas County District Court handles civil cases involving $57,000 and above. A county court judge handles proceedings in a small claims court. Civil cases in this court do not exceed $3,900 in value, and case parties must speak for themselves. Individuals can retrieve civil court case records online or in person. The Douglas County Clerk of the District Court has a Case Search tool that can be used to find civil case records. Alternatively, record seekers can visit the Douglas County Clerk of the District Court's office to access civil records. The is open from Monday to Friday between 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Douglas County Criminal Court Case Records
A criminal court case record is an official document of all the actions taken in a criminal case. The County Court's Criminal/Traffic Division handles all criminal cases. The Division handles misdemeanor cases, like traffic and municipal ordinance violations. Common misdemeanors cases they handle are
- Prostitution
- Disorderly conduct
- Theft of property valued at up to $500
- Possession of less than one pound of marijuana
- Driving while under the influence of alcohol (DUI) or drugs
The County Court also handles preliminary hearings in felony cases. It has concurrent jurisdiction with the District Court in misdemeanor and traffic infraction cases. The Douglas County District Court handles felony and gross misdemeanors. Interested parties can find criminal court case records online via the JUSTICE One-Time Case Search portal or in person at the court where the case was filed.
How to Get Court Records Online for Free
Douglas County courts do not have an online portal where individuals can find court records for free. Nebraska's Online Case Information eService is only available to Nebraska.gov subscribers. It costs $100 per annum to be a subscriber, and the benefit includes access to various online services the State offers. The subscription permits an account to have up to 10 usernames and passwords assigned to it. Subscribers can browse lists of cases for free, but a fee of $1 is charged to view the details of any case found in a general search. Search criteria on the online portal include name of case parties, court type, case number, judgment date, case type/subtype, county, year, judge, and attorney.
Courts in Douglas County
All the courts in Douglas County are located at:
Hall of Justice
1701 Farnam Street, 5th Floor
Omaha, NE 68183
Phone: (402) 444-7004 (District Court)
(402) 444-5387 (County Court)
