Lancaster County, Nebraska court records are maintained by the District Court Clerk and County Court Clerk and are accessible through online tools, official court portals, and directly at the court clerk's office. LancasterCourt.us will help you navigate publicly available court case information. Additionally, you can use the Nebraska Judicial Branch eServices portal, the JUSTICE system, or contact the Lancaster County Court Clerk's Office to request records.
Lancaster Court System Overview
Lancaster County is part of the 3rd Judicial District of Nebraska. This county has a County Court and a District Court, both located in the courthouse in Lincoln, the county's administrative center. Lancaster is one of three counties in the state (along with Douglas and Sarpy) that has a Separate Juvenile Court.
The County Court handles less serious criminal cases, traffic violations, small civil claims, probate cases, and guardianship matters. The District Court has jurisdiction over serious criminal cases, large civil claims, and appeals from the County Court.
Courts Serving Lancaster
| Court | Address / Contacts |
|---|---|
| Lancaster County Court (County Court) | 575 S 10th Street, Lincoln, NE 68508 |
| Lancaster County District Court (District Court) | 575 S 10th Street, Lincoln, NE 68508 |
| Lancaster County Separate Juvenile Court | 575 S 10th Street, Lincoln, NE 68508 |
| U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska (Federal Court) | Robert V. Denney Federal Building |
| Lincoln Municipal Court (Lincoln City Municipal Court) | 575 S 10th Street, Lincoln, NE 68508 |
What Types of Cases Lancaster Courts Hear
Lancaster County courts handle a wide range of cases. Here are the main categories:
- Felonies and misdemeanors
- Traffic violations, including DUI
- Civil claims — from small claims to large disputes
- Family law: divorce, child custody, alimony, paternity establishment
- Probate, guardianship, conservatorship
- Juvenile cases — offenses and child protection cases
- Adoptions
- Protection orders
Details on the jurisdiction of each court are below.
District Court Cases in Lancaster
The Lancaster District Court handles the county's most serious cases. These include serious criminal cases after preliminary hearings in the County Court, as well as civil claims exceeding the jurisdictional limit of the County Court. Additionally, the District Court hears appeals from the County Court and cases related to post-conviction proceedings.
Cases are assigned to District Court judges after a petition or indictment is filed. In criminal cases, the Lancaster County Attorney files an information or indictment, after which the case is assigned to a specific judge. Civil cases begin with the filing of a petition in the District Court Clerk's Office.
Magistrate Court Cases in Lancaster
Nebraska does not have a separate magistrate court — its functions are performed by the County Court. The Lancaster County Court handles:
- Misdemeanors and infractions
- Preliminary hearings in felony cases
- Civil cases with claims up to $57,000
- Small claims with amounts up to $3,900
- Traffic violations and DUI cases
Due to the high volume of cases in Lancaster, some County Court judges specialize in certain categories — for example, traffic violations or small claims. To check the hearing date, use the court calendar search.
Family Law, Probate, and Juvenile Matters in Lancaster
Family Law
Divorce, child custody, alimony, paternity establishment, and termination of parental rights cases are handled by the District Court. Protection orders are filed through the County Court. For divorce inquiries, call 402-441-7328, as listed on the Lancaster County Courts page.
Probate Matters
The County Court has exclusive jurisdiction over probate matters: estate administration, appointment of guardians and conservators, and trust matters. Applications are filed with the County Court Clerk's Office.
Juvenile Matters
Lancaster is one of three counties in Nebraska with a Separate Juvenile Court. This court handles juvenile offenses and Child Protective Act cases. Juvenile case records are confidential and not publicly accessible, except as provided by law.
How Cases Move Through the Lancaster Court System
- Case Initiation. A criminal case begins with a complaint or indictment; a civil case starts with filing a petition or complaint in the appropriate court.
- Judge Assignment. The court clerk assigns the case to a specific judge according to internal rules.
- Initial Hearings. In criminal cases — arraignment (the first court appearance where charges are read to the defendant). In civil cases — scheduling conference.
- Pre-trial Phase. Filing motions, discovery, plea negotiations in criminal cases, or settlement negotiations in civil cases.
- Trial. Trial, sentencing, settlement, or default judgment.
- Post-judgment. Sentencing in criminal cases, filing an appeal, enforcing judgment in civil cases.
Court Administration, Local Rules, and Public Access in Lancaster
Lancaster County courts are administered within the 3rd Judicial District of Nebraska. The district's administrative judge coordinates court operations, and the court administrator's office provides daily management.
Local rules for the 3rd Judicial District Court are published on the Nebraska Judicial Branch website. The statewide court records access policy defines which documents are public. According to Nebraska law, most court records are publicly accessible, but some categories — juvenile cases, adoption records, sealed cases — have restricted access.
You can attend court hearings in person at the courthouse located at 575 S 10th Street, Lincoln. Some hearings are held remotely — confirm this with the court clerk before your visit.
To obtain District or County Court records, submit a request through the public records request page or contact the phone numbers listed above.
Court Records and Related Court Resources in Lancaster
- Online Case Search. The JUSTICE system provides access to criminal, civil, traffic, probate, and juvenile cases in all 93 Nebraska counties. An advanced search through eServices is also available.
- Court Calendars. Check hearing dates and times through the Nebraska Judicial Branch calendar search or the multi-court calendar.
- County Public Records. The Lancaster public records page allows you to find accident reports, criminal cases, and other documents.
- Court Records Requests. Submit a request for County or District Court records through the official request page.
- Lancaster County Inmate Lookup. The Inmate Lookup tool from the Lancaster County Department of Corrections allows you to check if a person is held in the county facility. General information about the county jail is on the County Corrections/Jail page.
- Nebraska State Inmate Search. The Incarceration Record Search from the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services allows you to find individuals serving state-level sentences. Additional information is on the NDCS website.
- Vital Records. Birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates are maintained by the Office of Vital Records at the Nebraska Department of Health.
- Lancaster County Sheriff's Office. The Sheriff's Office provides access to online police report lookup — incidents and accidents. Information about distress warrants is also available online.
- Property Taxes and Assessment. Check property taxes, use the property search through the Lancaster County Assessor, or make online tax payments.
- LancasterCourt.us — a convenient starting point for finding information about Lancaster County court records.