Gage County Court Records

Gage County court records are the official documentation of judicial proceedings and actions the county court system handles. These records consist of different legal documents and materials, including motions, petitions, complaints, pleadings, dockets, verdicts, orders, judgments, and other case filings maintained by a local court clerk.

Gage court records are vital historical records that provide an overview of how court cases were handled by the county court system, from their initial stages to the final judgment. This allows for transparency in the court system, which, in turn, fosters public trust. Court records are also relied on for legal research and may be utilized in future cases as legal precedents of an action and to initiate appeals.

Are Court Records Public in Gage County?

According to Nebraska Public Record Law, codified in Nebraska Revised Statutes (NRS) § 84-712.01, court records in Gage County are considered public records unless a state or federal law expressly states otherwise. As a result, anyone can access and request copies of most Gage County court records from their respective custodians. Nonetheless, certain records are exempt from public access due to a court rule, court order, or state or federal law. Some of the exempt records and information are outlined in NRS § 84-712.05, and they include, but are not limited to:

• Adoption record
• Attorney product work
• Juvenile court records
• Sealed or expunged records
• Medical and mental health records
• Protected personal identifying information, such as Social Security Numbers.
• Personal identifying information of an alleged victim of sexual assault or sex trafficking.

Gage County Court Records Search

Record seekers can search for Gage County court records through any of the following:

• Clerk's office of local courts
• The Nebraska Judiciary's JUSTICE court case search system
• Third-party aggregate websites

Gage County Courts

Gage County has two types of courts: the District Court and the County Court. The former is a trial court of general jurisdiction that handles felony cases, domestic relations cases, and civil cases with a value of $57,000. Meanwhile, the latter (the County Court) has jurisdiction over misdemeanor cases, including traffic, and municipal ordinance violations, civil cases less than $57,000, and small claims less than $6,000. Probate, guardianship, conservatorship, adoption, eminent domain, and juvenile cases also fall under the jurisdiction of the County Court. The addresses and contact information of the Gage County District and County court are outlined below:

Gage County District Court
612 Grant Street,
Room 11,
Beatrice, NE 68310
Phone: (402) 223-1332
Fax: (402) 223-1313

Gage County Court
612 Grant Street,
Room 17,
Beatrice, NE 68310
Phone: (402) 223-1323
Fax: (402) 223-1374

Gage County Criminal and Civil Records

Interested persons can obtain an individual's Gage County criminal records by submitting a name-based criminal history report request to the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP). The report contains the record subject's statewide arrest history, including their Gage County arrest records, which resulted in dispositions and details about the subsequent prosecution. Generally, requesters must provide a subject name and birthdate to request their Criminal History Reports from the NSP and are charged $15.50 per request.

There are three primary ways to request criminal history reports from the NSP: online, in person, or by mail. Interested persons can utilize the NPS Limited Criminal Records website for online requests. Meanwhile, the NSP provides a dedicated request form that individuals can complete and submit for in-person and mail requests. Requesters can complete the request form and submit it along with the appropriate fee (via cashier's check, personal check, or money order) in person to any Nebraska State Patrol Troop Area office or by mail to:

Nebraska State Patrol, Criminal Identification Division
P.O. Box 94907
Lincoln, NE 68509-4907

On the other hand, record seekers can access court records of civil and criminal cases handled within the Gage County court system through the clerk's office of the specific court that presided over the case. Depending on the case's specifics, the County Court or District Court Clerk may have jurisdiction over it. In either case, interested persons may visit the clerk's office of the appropriate court to submit an in-person request for the case's record during regular office hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.). Alternatively, they can use the Nebraska Judiciary's JUSTICE court case search system to search for case records online at a $15 per search fee.

Gage County Marriage Records

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Vital Records Office maintains all Gage County vital records, including marriage, divorce, birth, and death records. Thus, requests for Gage County marriage records may be directed to the DHHS Vital Records Office.

Under Nebraska Law, marriage records are exempt from public access. As a result, only select individuals, such as the people named on the record and their close relatives, are allowed to access marriage records. In cases where the requester is not named on the marriage record, they must prove their relationship with either of the record subjects. For instance, a requester's birth certificate can serve as adequate proof of relationship when requesting their parents' marriage record. It is important to note that the DHHS Vital Records Office charges $16.00 for a marriage record request, and applicants must present acceptable proof of identification.

Eligible persons can request a Gage County Marriage certificate from the DHHS Vital Records Office online through the agency's Vital Records Website. The processing time for online requests is three (3) to four (4) weeks. Alternatively, requesters can complete the Marriage Certificate Application Form and mail it along with the required fee (via check or money order made out to Vital Records) and a copy of their acceptable proof of identification to:

Nebraska Vital Records
P.O. Box 95065,
Lincoln, Nebraska
68509-5065

Gage County Divorce Records

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Vital Records Office is the custodian of Gage County divorce records. Like marriage records, divorce records are protected and only available to eligible individuals, such as the record subjects (registrants) and their immediate family members. Consequently, if an applicant is not a registrant of the divorce record they seek, they must provide a document that shows proof of their relationship with any of the registrants. Furthermore, the DHHS charges $16.00 for a divorce record request, and applicants must present acceptable proof of identification.

Depending on their reference, an eligible individual can order a Gage County divorce record online through the DHHS Vital Records Website or by mail using the Divorce Certificate Application Form.

Gage County Birth and Death Records

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Vital Records Office preserves Gage County birth and death records. The records are protected and are only available to individuals or entities that need them for "proper purpose", as defined by DHHS Rule Title 174 005. The DHHS charges applicants a $17.00 fee for a Gage County birth certificate request and a $16.00 fee for a death certificate request, and they must present acceptable proof of identification. However, the fee is waived for birth records if an applicant requests a certified copy of their own birth record and does not have a current Nebraska driver's license or state identification card for voting.

Eligible persons can order Gage County birth and death records online from the DHHS Vital Records Website. Alternatively, they can order by mail using the appropriate DHHS application forms: the Birth Certificate Application Form (for Gage County birth records) and the Death Certificate Application Form (for death records).

Gage County Probate Court Records

Gaga County does not have a dedicated probate court; instead, all probate cases are handled by the County Court. Examples of probate cases include but are not limited to, claims against a decedent's estate, administration of wills, and asset distribution disputes. Most probate cases' records are considered part of Gage County public records and are available to the public.

Interested persons can query the clerk's Office of the County Court to request probate case records or use the Nebraska Judiciary's JUSTICE court case search system to search for them online.

Gage County Property Records

The Gage County Register of Deeds office records and maintains land records, including deeds, mortgages, plats, and other legal documents affecting a piece of land. Meanwhile, the Gage County Assessor's office is responsible for valuing properties within the county for tax purposes. Thus, record seekers can contact any of these offices to request property records, depending on the type of records.

Fortunately, the Gage County Register of Deeds office and the Assessor's office each provide online resources that interested persons can use to access public property records and information they maintain. The Register of Deeds office has a web service for searching for records online, while the Assessor's office has a property search and mapping website. Alternatively, record seekers can contact these offices directly to request property records at:

Gage County Register of Deeds Office
612 Grant St.
Room 1
P.O. Box 337
Beatrice, NE 68310
Phone: (402) 223-1361

Gage County Assessor's Office
612 Grant St.
Room 8
Beatrice, NE 68310
Phone: (402) 223-1308

Gage County Court Records Online

Third-party websites like Nebraskacourtrecords.us provide quick and reliable online access to Gage County Court records. These websites require minimal information, such as the subject's name or case number, to conduct a court record search. Furthermore, they feature user-friendly search interfaces and provide search results swiftly. However, these third-party websites are typically not affiliated with government entities, and their records may contain incomplete or outdated information.