Nebraska Court Case Lookup: Find Your Lawsuit in 3 Steps
You can search Nebraska court records online for free using the state's case search portal. Once you find your case, file an Answer within 30 days to avoid a default judgment and protect your rights.
File Your AnswerIf you've been served with a lawsuit in Nebraska, the first thing you need is information. When's your court date? Which court is handling your case? What exactly does the complaint say?
Nebraska maintains online case records for all 93 counties. You can search them yourself, for free, in about five minutes. Here's how to do it, what you'll find, and what to do next if you're facing a debt lawsuit.
How to Search for Your Nebraska Court Case Online
Nebraska's judiciary offers a centralized online portal that covers most civil and criminal cases. Follow these steps:
Step 1: Access the Nebraska Judicial Branch Case Search
Go to the Nebraska Judicial Branch's public access site. You'll land on a search page with multiple options. For most civil cases, including debt collection lawsuits, you'll use the "Party Name Search" option.
Step 2: Enter Your Information
Type your last name and first name. The system searches across all Nebraska counties, so you don't need to know which court filed the case.
If you have a common name, add your middle initial or birth year to narrow results. The database also lets you search by case number if you have that from your summons.
Step 3: Review Your Case Details
Once you find your case, click it. You'll see:
- Case number and filing date
- Court location (which county and court level)
- Plaintiff name (who's suing you)
- Case type (contract, small claims, general civil)
- Next scheduled hearing or deadline
- Docket entries (a timeline of everything filed)
Pay close attention to deadlines. In Nebraska, you typically have 30 days from the date you were served to file an Answer. Miss that window, and the plaintiff can request a default judgment.
Which Nebraska Court Handles Your Case?
Nebraska civil cases land in one of two places, depending on the dollar amount:
County Courts
County courts handle civil disputes up to $57,000. This includes most credit card lawsuits, medical debt collections, and personal loans. County courts also manage small claims cases under $3,900.
There's a county court in each of Nebraska's 93 counties. If you're sued in county court, that's where you'll file your response and attend hearings.
District Courts
District courts take over when the amount in dispute exceeds $57,000, or when a case is appealed from county court. You'll also see contract disputes, property disputes, and business lawsuits here.
Nebraska has 12 judicial districts, each covering multiple counties. District court cases tend to move slower and involve stricter procedural rules.
Court of Appeals and Supreme Court
These handle appeals only. If you lose at the county or district level and believe the judge made a legal error, you can appeal. But for initial debt collection lawsuits, you're starting at county or district court.
What If You Can't Find Your Case Online?
Not every case appears immediately. Here are three reasons your case might not show up:
- The case was just filed. Courts batch-upload records weekly. Check again in a few days.
- The case is in small claims court. Some counties lag on uploading small claims dockets. Call the clerk's office directly.
- You weren't actually served. If a process server couldn't deliver your summons, the case might be paused until they locate you.
If you received papers but can't find the case online, call the court listed on your summons. Provide the case number. The clerk can confirm your hearing date and tell you if an Answer has been filed yet.
What to Look for in Your Case Records
Once you pull up your case, focus on these items:
Filing Date vs. Service Date
The filing date is when the plaintiff started the lawsuit. Your deadline starts from the service date, which is when you were personally handed the summons or it was left at your door. Nebraska requires plaintiffs to file proof of service with the court. Look for that document in your docket.
Docket Entries
Every time someone files a motion, the court schedules a hearing, or a judgment is entered, a new line appears on the docket. Read through it chronologically. If you see "Motion for Default Judgment," you're out of time to respond without legal help.
Scheduled Hearings
Your summons should list a court date. Double-check that the online record matches. Courts sometimes reschedule hearings, and you're responsible for showing up even if you didn't receive updated notice.
Plaintiff's Attorney Information
Most debt buyers hire local law firms. The case record will list the attorney's name, firm, and contact info. If you plan to negotiate, you'll call that office.
What to Do If You're Being Sued for Debt in Nebraska
Finding your case online is step one. Here's step two:
File an Answer Before the Deadline
Nebraska gives you 30 days to file an Answer after you're served. Your Answer is a legal document that responds to each claim in the plaintiff's complaint. You can admit, deny, or say you lack enough information to respond.
Filing an Answer stops a default judgment. It forces the plaintiff to prove their case. Many debt buyers can't, because they lack the original contract or detailed account statements.
You can file your Answer yourself. Nebraska county courts accept hand-delivered or mailed filings. Some counties also allow e-filing. Check your county court's website for instructions. You'll pay a filing fee, usually around $49, unless you qualify for a fee waiver.
Raise Affirmative Defenses
An affirmative defense admits the basic facts but argues the plaintiff has no legal right to collect. Common affirmative defenses in Nebraska debt cases include:
- Statute of limitations. Nebraska gives creditors 4 years to sue on written contracts and 5 years on open accounts (credit cards). If the debt is older, the case should be dismissed.
- Lack of standing. If a debt buyer purchased your account, they must prove they own it. Many can't produce the full chain of assignment.
- Payment or settlement. If you already paid or settled the debt, you'll need documentation.
- Identity theft or fraud. If you never opened the account, raise this immediately.
Include affirmative defenses in your Answer. If you raise them later, the court might not allow it.
Consider Settlement
Once you file an Answer, the plaintiff's attorney will likely contact you about settlement. Debt buyers typically pay pennies on the dollar for old accounts, so they often settle for 30% to 50% of the balance.
Get any settlement in writing before you pay. Make sure the agreement states the debt will be reported as "settled" or "paid" to credit bureaus, and that the lawsuit will be dismissed with prejudice (meaning they can't refile).
Show Up to Court
If you can't settle, your case will go to trial. Nebraska civil trials are usually short, sometimes under an hour. The plaintiff presents their evidence. You present yours. The judge rules.
Bring anything that supports your defense: bank statements, payment receipts, correspondence with the creditor, evidence the debt is past the statute of limitations. Judges appreciate organized documentation.
What Happens If You Lose?
If the judge rules against you, the plaintiff gets a judgment. In Nebraska, judgments are valid for 5 years and can be renewed indefinitely. With a judgment, creditors can:
- Garnish your wages. Nebraska allows wage garnishment of up to 25% of your disposable earnings, or the amount by which your weekly income exceeds 30 times the federal minimum wage, whichever is less.
- Levy your bank account. Creditors can freeze your checking or savings account and withdraw funds to cover the judgment.
- Place a lien on property. If you own real estate, the creditor can file a lien. You'll have to pay the judgment before you can sell or refinance.
Certain income is exempt from garnishment, including Social Security, SSI, veterans' benefits, and unemployment benefits. If your only income is protected, you're "judgment proof." Creditors can't collect, but the judgment still damages your credit.
When Bankruptcy Makes Sense
If you're facing multiple lawsuits, or the judgment amount would take years to pay off, bankruptcy might be the better path. Chapter 7 bankruptcy wipes out most unsecured debts, including credit cards, medical bills, and personal loans. The entire process takes about 4 months.
Filing bankruptcy triggers an automatic stay, which stops all collection activity immediately. Pending lawsuits are paused. Wage garnishments stop. Creditors can't call or send letters.
Nebraska residents can use either federal or state bankruptcy exemptions. Federal exemptions are generally more generous. For example, the federal homestead exemption protects up to $27,900 in home equity (or $55,800 for married couples filing jointly). Nebraska's state exemption is $60,000, but you can't stack it with a spouse's exemption.
If you're considering bankruptcy, start with our bankruptcy screener. It takes 2 minutes and tells you if you qualify. If you do, we'll connect you with a local attorney for a free consultation.
Other Ways to Access Nebraska Court Records
In-Person at the Courthouse
Every Nebraska county courthouse maintains public records. You can walk in, ask to see your file, and the clerk will retrieve it. Some courthouses charge a small fee (usually 25 to 50 cents per page) for copies.
Third-Party Websites
Sites like Justia, UniCourt, and CourtListener aggregate public court records from across the country. They're useful if you're researching the plaintiff's attorney or checking whether the debt buyer has filed similar lawsuits in Nebraska. But for your own case, the official state site is faster and free.
PACER for Federal Cases
If your case is in federal court (bankruptcy, for example), you'll need PACER, the federal judiciary's case management system. PACER charges 10 cents per page, but you can view up to $30 in documents per quarter for free.
Key Takeaways
If you're being sued in Nebraska, time is your enemy. The sooner you find your case, file an Answer, and understand your options, the better your outcome. Don't let a default judgment happen because you ignored the lawsuit or missed a deadline.
You have more leverage than you think. Many debt buyers can't prove their case. And even if they can, settlement is almost always an option. But you have to show up and fight.