Two Offices, Two Roles
The Douglas County Court is a limited-jurisdiction trial court. Its clerk function is run by a judicial administrator rather than a clerk magistrate, which is the model Nebraska uses in its larger counties. Pam Cardenas is listed as the County Court clerk contact. The County Court handles probate, guardianship, conservatorship, adoption, traffic, misdemeanors, preliminary felony hearings, small claims, and civil cases up to a set dollar limit.
The Douglas County Clerk and Comptroller is a separate elected office. It issues marriage licenses, records county board actions, and keeps a range of county administrative records. Public directories have identified Dan Esch as the County Clerk and Comptroller; the current name should be confirmed on the official county site before any formal use.
Douglas County Court
Court Clerk Contact: Pam Cardenas
Hall of Justice, 1701 Farnam Street
Omaha, NE 68183
402-444-5387
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Mon-Fri
County Clerk and Comptroller
Marriage licenses and county board records
Douglas County Civic Center, 1819 Farnam Street
Omaha, NE 68183
Confirm on the county clerk site
Separate from the courts.
What Douglas County Court Handles
The County Court jurisdiction statute is Neb. Rev. Stat. 24-517. The court runs several divisions out of different downtown buildings, so a filer should confirm which division and which address fits the case type.
- Probate, guardianship, conservatorship, and adoption: Hall of Justice, 3rd Floor, phone 402-444-7152.
- Criminal, traffic, and municipal ordinance: Hall of Justice, 2nd Floor, phone 402-444-5387.
- Civil and small claims: Douglas County Civic Center, 1819 Farnam Street, phone 402-444-5424.
- Civil cases up to $70,000 and small claims up to $7,500.
- Preliminary hearings in felony cases before they move to District Court.
Small claims hearings in Douglas County do not use juries, and attorneys are not allowed to represent parties in the small claims hearing itself. That keeps small claims fast and low-cost for the parties.
How to Search Douglas County Court Records
County Court cases are part of the statewide JUSTICE one-time case search. Unlike Douglas District Court, the Douglas County Court is also included in the free Nebraska Multi-Court Calendar for future court dates.
- For full case detail, use the paid JUSTICE search by party name. It costs $17 and covers traffic, probate, civil, and small claims.
- For upcoming County Court dates, use the free Multi-Court Calendar and select Douglas County Court.
- For probate, contact the Probate Division at 402-444-7152.
- For a certified copy, contact the County Court clerk's office for the right division.
Note: The free calendar does not cover regular Douglas District Court dates, only Douglas County Court and Douglas juvenile calendars, so it is not a full substitute for the paid search.
Marriage Licenses From the County Clerk
Marriage license issuance is a county clerk function in Nebraska, not a court function. The statute at Neb. Rev. Stat. 42-106 says the county clerk issues and records the marriage license. The Douglas County Clerk and Comptroller handles this work from the Civic Center.
Both applicants generally appear, bring a photo ID with proof of age, and pay the license fee. The license is valid statewide. For the full step-by-step on applying, ordering certified copies, and finding divorce decrees, see the marriage and divorce records page.
Douglas County Court Fees
County Court fees follow the same layered structure as the rest of the Nebraska court system. The Nebraska Judicial Branch filing fees and court costs page lists the current totals, and the probate fee statute is Neb. Rev. Stat. 33-125.
| Item | Where It Is Set |
|---|---|
| Small claims filing | Statewide fee schedule; claims up to $7,500. |
| County Court civil filing | Statewide fee schedule; cases up to $70,000. |
| Probate / estate filing | Neb. Rev. Stat. 33-125 and the fee schedule. |
| Marriage license | County Clerk and Comptroller; confirm current fee. |
| Certified copy | Issuing office; verify current per-page rate. |
An online citation or case payment can be made through the Nebraska Judicial Branch ePayment system, though bond payments are not allowed online.
County Clerk and Comptroller Records
Beyond marriage licenses, the County Clerk and Comptroller keeps records tied to county government rather than the courts. These follow the Nebraska Public Records Act, not court rules. The records-access statute is Neb. Rev. Stat. 84-712.01.
- County board of commissioners minutes and resolutions.
- County budget and financial reports.
- Marriage license index and records.
- Certain licenses and county administrative filings.
For a step-by-step on filing a public records request and the timelines that apply, see the public records page.