Functions
of the District Court Office:
District Courts are trial courts that are divided into
judicial districts serving all 93 counties of the state. District courts have original jurisdiction
in all felony cases, equity cases, domestic relations cases, and civil cases
where the amount in controversy involves more than $51,000. District courts
have appellate jurisdiction in certain matters arising out of county court.
They also serve as appellate courts in administrative appeals, where they
review the record of testimony and evidence from the lower court or tribunal
and issue an opinion and ruling in the case. District court decisions may be
appealed to the Nebraska Court of Appeals and/or to the Nebraska Supreme Court. Clerks of district court also act as
Acceptance Agents for obtaining passports.
Nebraska is divided into 12 Judicial Districts encompassing
all 93 counties. Across the state,
district boundaries are aligned with county lines - some districts include just
one county, while others include as many as 17. Each district has at least one
district court location, although a judge may preside in more than one district
court within a judicial district, particularly in rural areas of the state.
There are currently 55 district judges. Wayne County is in the 7th
Judicial District, which also includes Antelope, Cuming, Knox, Madison,
Pierce, and Stanton counties.
Each county in the State of Nebraska has a clerk of the district
court performing the administrative duties associated with the court. Nebraska
law states that counties with at least 7,000 inhabitants are required to have a
clerk of the district court elected by the voters. The clerk of the district court
serves a 4-year term. In counties with less than 7,000 inhabitants, the county
board and district judge determine whether there should be a clerk of the
district court. If a clerk does not exist, the county clerk is the ex-officio clerk
of the district court. Besides being the clerk of the district court, they also
serve as the court's administrative officer.
Most legal matters filed in Nebraska state courts are
classified as being civil or criminal in nature. CIVIL cases are disputes between private citizens, corporations,
governmental bodies, or other organizations. They may involve property or
personal rights. CRIMINAL cases are brought by the state against individuals or
groups of individuals accused of committing a crime. The state initiates
charges because crimes are considered acts against all of society.
We will be happy to help you if we can. However, this
office is NOT staffed with licensed attorneys, therefore, this office can not
and will not give you legal advice.
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