How Does the Nebraska District Court Work?

Nebraska District Courts are general jurisdiction trial courts found in the Nebraska judicial system. District Courts have original jurisdiction over all criminal and civil matters tried in the state of Nebraska. The types of cases they hear include:

• Felony cases, and all lesser offenses included with a felony charge
• General civil cases (District Courts typically hear civil claims cases where the matter in controversy is more than $57,000. This amount may vary by district)
• Domestic relations cases
• Specific probate and mental health cases

Nebraska District Courts also have appellate functions, and they hear appeals from decisions reached by the state’s County Courts and administrative agencies. Appeals in District Courts are decided by reviewing the records and testimonies presented in the County Court or the administrative agency.

The 93 counties in the state of Nebraska comprise 12 judicial districts, listed as follows:

• District 1 - Gage, Jefferson, Johnson, Fillmore, Nemaha, Otoe, Pawnee, Richardson, Saline, and Thayer Counties
• District 2 - Cass and Sarpy Counties
• District 3 - Lancaster County
• District 4—Douglas County
• District 5 - Boone, Butler, Colfax, Hamilton, Merrick, Nance, Platte, Polk, Saunders, Seward, and York Counties
• District 6 - Burt, Cedar, Dakota, Dixon, Dodge, Thurston, and Washington Counties
• District 7 - Antelope, Cuming, Madison, Knox, Pierce, Stanton, and Wayne Counties
• District 8 - Blaine, Boyd, Brown, Cherry, Custer, Garfield, Greeley, Holt, Howard, Loup, Keya Paha, Rock, Sherman, Valley, and Wheeler Counties
• District 9 - Buffalo and Hall Counties
• District 10 - Adams, Clay, Franklin, Harlan, Kearney, Nuckolls, Phelps, and Webster Counties
• District 11 - Arthur, Chase, Dawson, Dundy, Furnas, Hayes, Frontier, Gosper, Hitchcock, Hooker, Keith, Lincoln, Logan, McPherson, Perkins, Red Willow, and Thomas Counties
• District 12 - Banner, Box Butte, Cheyenne, Dawes, Deuel, Garden, Grant, Kimball, Morrill, Scotts Bluff, Sheridan, and Sioux Counties

When there is a vacant judgeship position in a district, a judge is selected through an application process that begins with a judicial nominating commission. This commission is composed of the chief justice or an associate justice of the state’s Supreme Court, four legal members elected by Nebraska’s state bar association, and four non-legal members appointed by the state governor. The chief justice or associate justice serves as the chairperson and is a non-voting member of the commission, while the other eight members are voting members. The judicial nominating commission announces the vacancy and also issues a notice of a public hearing to be held not later than 60 days after the announcement.

Any eligible party that wishes to become a District Court will be required to apply to the commission at least 21 days before the hearing. A qualified party is an individual that is at least 30 years old, a citizen of the United States, licensed to practice law in the state of Nebraska and must have practiced for at least five years, either as a lawyer or as a judge. If appointed, the individual must also be a district resident and remain a district resident throughout service as a District Court judge.

A list of approved applicants for the position is published by the commission not later than ten days before the hearing. The judicial nominating commission may also recruit individuals that it feels will be suitable for the position. At the public hearing, interested members of the public are allowed to express their opinions of the applicants. The applicants are also entitled to either speak for themselves or have other parties speak on their behalf. After the hearing, the judicial nominating commission holds a closed meeting vote. The commission may choose to interview the applicants before doing this. During the vote, all voting members of the judicial nominating commission must be present.

The names of applicants that receive at least five votes are sent to the state governor, who then appoints one of them to fill the vacant judgeship position. The governor must do this within 60 days; otherwise, the District Court judge will be appointed by the Supreme Court’s Chief Justice, also from the list of names submitted to the governor. Appointed judges must stand in a retention election at least three years after their first appointment, and every six years after that. The state of Nebraska does not have a mandatory retirement age for judges.

The age of disposition for Nebraska District Court cases usually depends on the type of case being heard. Decisions are typically issued not later than 18 months after the case is filed. These decisions can be appealed at the Nebraska Court of Appeals or directly to the Nebraska Supreme Court in matters that involve capital punishment such as life imprisonment. Parties that wish to appeal a District Court’s decision must do no later than 30 days after the decision was rendered.

Members of the public that wish to access Nebraska District Court records may do so online through the Nebraska judicial system’s JUSTICE court case search portal. Searches cost a fee of $15 per search. Copies of court records can also be obtained by contacting the office of the Clerk of the District Court at the particular court where the case in question was filed. Note that the payment of a fee may also be required before records can be obtained via this method.

Nebraska District Courts can be contacted via the following information:

Adams County District Court

500 West 4th Street

Suite 200

Hastings, NE 68901

Phone: (402) 461–7264

Antelope County District Court

501 Main Street

P. O. Box 45

Neligh, NE 68756

Phone: (402) 887–4508

Arthur County District Court

205 Fir Street

P. O. Box 126

Arthur, NE 69121

Phone: (308) 764–2203

Banner County District Court

P. O. Box 67

Harrisburg, NE 69345

Phone: (308) 436–5265

Blaine County District Court

145 Lincoln Avenue

P. O. Box 136

Brewster, NE 68821

Phone: (308) 547–2222 ext. 201

Boone County District Court

222 South 4th Street

Albion, NE 68620

Phone: (402) 395–2057

Box Butte County District Court

515 Box Butte Avenue

Suite 300

Alliance, NE 69301

Phone: (308) 762–6293

Boyd County District Court

401 Thayer Street

P. O. Box 26

Butte, NE 68722

Phone: (402) 775–2391

Brown County District Court

148 West 4th Street

Ainsworth, NE 69210

Phone: (402) 387–2705

Buffalo County District Court

1512 Central Avenue

P. O. Box 520

Kearney, NE 68848

Phone: (308) 236–1246

Burt County District Court

111 North 13th Street

Suite 11

Tekamah, NE 68061

Phone: (402) 374–2905

Butler County District Court

451 North 5th Street

David City, NE 68632

Phone: (402) 367–7460

Cass County District Court

346 Main Street

Room 303

Plattsmouth, NE 68048

Phone: (402) 296–9339

Cedar County District Court

101 South Broadway Avenue

P. O. Box 796

Hartington, NE 68739

Phone: (402) 254–6957

Chase County District Court

921 Broadway

P. O. Box 1299

Imperial, NE 69033

Phone: (308) 882–7500

Cherry County District Court

365 North Main Street

Valentine, NE 69201

Phone: (402) 376–1840

Cheyenne County District Court

1000 10th Avenue

P. O. Box 217

Sidney, NE 69162

Phone: (308) 254–2814

Clay County District Court

111 West Fairfield Street

Clay Center, NE 68933

Phone: (402) 762–3595

Colfax County District Court

411 East 11th Street

Schuyler, NE 68661

Phone: (402) 352–8506

Cuming County District Court

200 South Lincoln Street

Room 200

West Point, NE 68788

Phone: (402) 372–6004

Custer County District Court

431 South 10th Avenue

Broken Bow, NE 68822

Phone: (308) 872–2121

Dakota County District Court

1601 Broadway

P. O. Box 66

Dakota City, NE 68731

Phone: (402) 987–2114

Dawes County District Court

451 Main Street

Chadron, NE 69337

Phone: (308) 432–0109

Dawson County District Court

700 North Washington Street

Room E

Lexington, NE 68850

Phone: (308) 324–4261

Deuel County District Court

718 3rd Street

P. O. Box 327

Chappell, NE 69129

Phone: (308) 874–3308

Dixon County District Court

302 3rd Street

P. O. Box 395

Ponca, NE 68770

Phone: (402) 755–5604

Dodge County District Court

428 North Broad Street

Fremont, NE 68025

Phone: (402) 727–2780

Douglas County District Court

300 Hall of Justice

1701 Farnam Street

Omaha, NE 68183

Phone: (402) 444–7018

Dundy County District Court

102 7th Avenue West

P. O. Box 506

Benkelman, NE 69021

Phone: (308) 423–2058

Fillmore County District Court

900 G Street

P. O. Box 147

Geneva, NE 68361

Phone: (402) 759–3811

Franklin County District Court

405 15th Avenue

P. O. Box 146

Franklin, NE 68939

Phone: (308) 425–6202

Frontier County District Court

P. O. Box 40

Stockville, NE 69042

Phone: (308) 367–8641

Furnas County District Court

912 R Street

P. O. Box 413

Beaver City, NE 68926

Phone: (308) 268–4015

Gage County District Court

612 Grant Street

Room 11

Beatrice, NE 68310

Phone: (402) 223–1332

Garden County District Court

611 Main Street

P. O. Box 486

Oshkosh, NE 69154

Phone: (308) 772–3924

Garfield County District Court

250 South 8th Avenue

P. O. Box 218

Burwell, NE 68823

Phone: (308) 346–4161

Gosper County District Court

507 Smith Avenue

P. O. Box 136

Elwood, NE 68937

Phone: (308) 785–2611

Grant County District Court

P. O. Box 139

Hyannis, NE 69350

Phone: (308) 458–2488

Greeley County District Court

P. O. Box 287

Greeley, NE 68842

Phone: (308) 428–3625

Hall County District Court

111 West 1st Street

Suite 4

Grand Island, NE 68801

Phone: (308) 385–5144

Hamilton County District Court

1111 13th Street

P. O. Box 201

Aurora, NE 68818

Phone: (402) 694–3533

Harlan County District Court

706 West 2nd Street

P. O. Box 698

Alma, NE 68920

Phone: (308) 928–2173

Hayes County District Court

505 Troth Street

P. O. Box 370

Hayes Center, NE 69032

Phone: (308) 286–3413

Hitchcock County District Court

229 East D Street

P. O. Box 248

Trenton, NE 69044

Phone: (308) 334–5646

Holt County District Court

P. O. Box 755

O’Neill, NE 68763

Phone: (402) 336–2840

Hooker County District Court

303 Northwest 1st Street

P. O. Box 184

Mullen, NE 69152

Phone: (308) 546–2244

Howard County District Court

612 Indian Street

P. O. Box 25

St. Paul, NE 68873

Phone: (308) 754–4343

Jefferson County District Court

411 4th Street

Fairbury, NE 68352

Phone: (402) 729–6807

Johnson County District Court

P. O. Box 416

Tecumseh, NE 68450

Phone: (402) 335–6300

Kearney County District Court

426 North Colorado Avenue

P. O. Box 208

Minden, NE 68959

Phone: (308) 832–1742

Keith County District Court

511 North Spruce Street

Room 202

Ogallala, NE 69153

Phone: (308) 284–3849

Keya Paha County District Court

P. O. Box 349

Springview, NE 68778

Phone: (402) 497–3791

Kimball County District Court

114 East 3rd Street

Suite 10

Kimball, NE 69145

Phone: (308) 235–3591

Knox County District Court

P. O. Box 126

Center, NE 68724

Phone: (402) 288–5606

Lancaster County District Court

Justice and Law Enforcement Center

575 South 10th Street

3rd Floor

Lincoln, NE 68508

Phone: (402) 441–7328

Lincoln County District Court

301 North Jeffers Street

P. O. Box 1616

North Platte, NE 69103

Phone: (308) 534–4350 ext. 300

Logan County District Court

P. O. Box 8

Stapleton, NE 69163

Phone: (308) 636–2311

Loup County District Court

P. O. Box 187

Taylor, NE 68879

Phone: (308) 942–6035

Madison County District Court

1313 North Main Street

P. O. Box 249

Madison, NE 68748

Phone: (402) 454–3311 ext. 140

McPherson County District Court

P. O. Box 122

Tryon, NE 69167

Phone: (308) 587–2363

Merrick County District Court

Merrick County Courthouse

1510 18th Street

P. O. Box 27

Central City, NE 68826

Phone: (308) 946–2461

Morrill County District Court

P. O. Box 824

Bridgeport, NE 69336

Phone: (308) 262–1261

Nance County District Court

209 Esther Street

P. O. Box 338

Fullerton, NE 68638

Phone: (308) 536–2365

Nemaha County District Court

1824 N Street

Auburn, NE 68305

Phone: (402) 274–3616

Nuckolls County District Court

150 South Main Street

P. O. Box 362

Nelson, NE 68961

Phone: (402) 225–4341

Otoe County District Court

P. O. Box 726

Nebraska City, NE 68410

Phone: (402) 873–9550

Pawnee County District Court

P. O. Box 431

Pawnee City, NE 68420

Phone: (402) 852–2963

Perkins County District Court

200 Lincoln Avenue

P. O. Box 156

Grant, NE 69140

Phone: (308) 352–7560

Phelps County District Court

715 5th Avenue

P. O. Box 462

Holdrege, NE 68949

Phone: (308) 995–2281

Pierce County District Court

111 West Court Street

Room 12

Pierce, NE 68767

Phone: (402) 329–4335

Platte County District Court

2610 14th Street

P. O. Box 1188

Columbus, NE 68602

Phone: (402) 563–4906

Polk County District Court

400 Hawkeye Street

P. O. Box 447

Osceola, NE 68651

Phone: (402) 747–3487

Red Willow County District Court

502 Norris Avenue

McCook, NE 69001

Phone: (308) 345–4583

Richardson County District Court

1700 Stone Street

Falls City, NE 68355

Phone: (402) 245–2023

Rock County District Court

400 South State Street

P. O. Box 367

Bassett, NE 68714

Phone: (402) 684–3933

Saline County District Court

215 South Court Street

P. O. Box 865

Wilber, NE 68465

Phone: (402) 821–2823

Sarpy County District Court

1210 Golden Gate Drive

Suite 3141

Papillion, NE 68046

Phone: (402) 593–2267

Saunders County District Court

387 North Chestnut Street

Suite 6

Wahoo, NE 68066

Phone: (402) 443–8113

Scotts Bluff County District Court

1725 10th Street

P. O. Box 47

Gering, NE 69341

Phone: (308) 436–6641

Seward County District Court

529 Seward Street

Room 305

Seward, NE 68434

Phone: (402) 643–4895

Sheridan County District Court

301 East 2nd Street

P. O. Box 581

Rushville, NE 69360

Phone: (308) 327–5654

Sherman County District Court

P. O. Box 456

Loup City, NE 68853

Phone: (308) 745–1513 ext. 103

Sioux County District Court

325 Main Street

P. O. Box 158

Harrison, NE 69346

Phone: (308) 668–2443

Stanton County District Court

804 Ivy Street

P. O. Box 347

Stanton, NE 68779

Phone: (402) 439–2222

Thayer County District Court

225 North 4th Street

Room 302

Hebron, NE 68370

Phone: (402) 768–6116

Thomas County District Court

503 Main Street

P. O. Box 226

Thedford, NE 69166

Phone: (308) 645–2261

Thurston County District Court

106 5th Street

P. O. Box 216

Pender, NE 68047

Phone: (402) 385–3318

Valley County District Court

125 South 15th Street

Ord, NE 68862

Phone: (308) 728–3700

Washington County District Court

1555 Colfax Street

P. O. Box 431

Blair, NE 68008

Phone: (402) 426–6899

Wayne County District Court

510 Pearl Street

Suite 6

Wayne, NE 68787

Phone: (402) 375–2260

Webster County District Court

621 North Cedar

P. O. Box 250

Red Cloud, NE 68970

Phone: (308) 746–2716

Wheeler County District Court

301 3rd Street

P. O. Box 127

Bartlett, NE 68622

Phone: (308) 654–3235

York County District Court

510 North Lincoln Avenue

York, NE 68467

Phone: (402) 362–4038