Nevada Court Records

Are Nevada Court Records Public?

The Nevada Open Records Act is a series of state laws guarantee public access to Nevada's public records. The Act was established in 1906 and amended last in 2003. Nevada citizens and residents have the fundamental right to access and copy public records from all government bodies in the State as stipulated by the Act. In the State, court records are considered public records and, as such, may be accessed by the general public.

What Shows Up on a Nevada Court Records Search

Nevada court records are typically created during civil or criminal court actions or proceedings in compliance with the Nevada Court Rules. These records are useful for members of the public to retrieve case information for personal and legal purposes. Members of the public may perform a Nevada court records search online or in person at the Court where the case was handled. These searches offer insight into the information regarding the case (like case number and case status), case parties, the Court that handled the case, and the court docket. They are a critical consideration in the efficiency and reliability of the Nevada judiciary and are used for various historical, legal, criminal, and civil matters.

How Do I Find Court Records in Nevada?

The first step to take when trying to obtain court records in Nevada is to locate the Court where the court records are kept. In the State, it is generally the Court Clerks' responsibility to keep a record of information concerning court cases. To obtain court records, requesters may contact the Clerk of the Court where the lawsuit was filed. Requests for court records may be made in person, via mail, email, or through an online portal.

Nevada Court Records Public Access

The state judiciary offers public access to court records through the courts where these legal proceedings are heard.

To access court records in the Appellate Courts, interested entities may utilize the "Find A Case" page on the Supreme Court's website. The system requires the user to input the record's case number and an optional case caption. If the requester does not have the case number available, the "Caption Contains" field may be filled with a party's Name to the case. The search page then redirects to the Appellate Case Management System Portal for a more concentrated search. The website is user-friendly, so users may follow the prompts to complete the search process. Note that access to case information via the online portal is free of charge.

Alternatively, requesters may contact the Office of the Appellate Courts Clerk for directions on obtaining appellate Court records offline. The Nevada Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals are both situated in Carson City. They also have another courtroom in Las Vegas. The addresses and contact information for both courtrooms are as follows:

Carson City
201 South Carson Street,
Suite 201, Carson City, Nevada, 89701-4780
(775) 684-1600

Las Vegas
408 East Clark Avenue
Las Vegas, NV 89101
(702) 486-9300

How to Obtain Nevada Court Records in Person

A requester who wishes to obtain a court record in person may visit the Office of the Clerk of the Court in charge of the record. The procedures for obtaining court records may vary from one Court to another or county to another. Below is a list of the directories for the State Trial Courts in Nevada. The guides contain the address and contact information for all the courts in their respective categories.

• Nevada District Courts Directory
• Nevada Justice Courts Directory
• Nevada Municipal Courts Directory

Requesters requesting court records via mail or email may also visit the directories listed above. The mail and email information for each trial court is displayed on their respective pages. Specific instructions on how to view and copy court records and documents via mail and email are best obtained from the Court Clerks. Most District, Justice, and Municipal Courts have databases where court records are maintained for online access. Requesters may obtain links to the online sources by contacting the Court Clerks or visiting their websites as listed in the respective directories.

How to Conduct a Nevada Court Record Search by Name

A requester can conduct a Nevada court record search by name by visiting the courthouse where the case was heard. The court staff would require the case party name, the attorney's Name, or the Name of the judge that presided over the case.

Alternatively, a court record search by Name can be done online. For instance, the Nevada Appellate Courts have an Appellate Case Management System where individuals can conduct a search by participant name. A search can be conducted by last Name (or Company/Organization Name), first Name, or middle Name. After submitting the query, case information like a case number, participant name and role, case type and status, court, and docket entries.

How to Get Court Records Online for Free

The Nevada Appellate Courts have a Case Search tool where individuals can get court records online for free. A search can be conducted by case number or participant name. Most Nevada Court Clerk offices have public terminals where requesters can view court records for free.

Nevada has courts that offer low-cost options for accessing court records online. For instance, The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Nevada has a Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) tool where individuals can access case information online for a small fee. An individual can get bankruptcy court records for free via the PACER tool when:

• They want to view bankruptcy case information at any federal court.
• They are a party to a case and receive a Notice of Electronic (NEF) or Notice of Docket Activity (NDA) from a Federal court. Then they can have a free look at bankruptcy records via the PACER tool when they click the document number link within 15 days of receipt of the NEF or NDA.
• They want to obtain copies of court opinions.
• They are eligible for fee exemptions.

Considered open to citizens of the United States, court records are available through both traditional, government sources, and through third-party websites and organizations. In many cases, third-party websites make the search easier as they are not limited geographically or by technological limitations. They are considered a good place to start when looking for a specific record or multiple records. In order to gain access to these records, interested parties must typically provide:

• The name of the person listed in the record. Juveniles are typically exempt from this search method.
• The last known or assumed location of the person listed in the record. This includes cities, counties, and states.

While third-party sites offer such services, they are not government sponsored entities, and record availability may vary on these sites when compared to government sources.

What Shows Up on Nevada Judgment Records?

Nevada judgment records are court documents containing the Court's decision on a lawsuit following the examination of case facts or a trial. The clerk of courts maintains this judgment record in the court archives, and the case parties will typically have a copy. Yet, these documents are public records, and interested members of the public may obtain copies per the Nevada Public Records Act.

Persons looking to obtain judgment records in Nevada must identify the courthouse where the trial happened. There, the requester will submit important case information, such as the case number and litigants' names, to aid the court administrative staff in searching for the judgment record. Providing the judge's Name and the year of judgment can also help search faster. Furthermore, the requester must tell the court staff the exact documents needed - the entire case file or specific records.

Nevada judgment records contain information depending on the case type. Still, a typical judgment record contains information like the litigants' names, judgment dates, a description of the lawsuit, and the Court's final decision based on state laws.

Are Nevada Bankruptcy Records Public?

Nevada Bankruptcy Records are public in Nevada and domiciled in the State's Bankruptcy Courts. Bankruptcy records belong to parties who have filed for bankruptcy due to their inability to fulfill their financial obligations to their creditors. The United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Nevada operates two offices that serve sixteen (16) counties. The county where the debtor resides, the principal place of business, or main assets determine where the case should be filed. To electronically file documents with the United States Bankruptcy Court, District of Nevada, all regular filers must receive training and register with the Court. After completing the training and registration process, the filer is assigned an account.

Nevada bankruptcy records, as well as related recordings - writs, judgments, foreclosures, and Nevada liens, can be obtained by querying the record custodian in the judicial district where the petition or claim was filed. The requesting party may be required to furnish the custodian with information about the record of interest and cover the cost of copying (if applicable).

How to Find Bankruptcy Records in Nevada

Bankruptcy records can be obtained online, by phone, by mail, or in person at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Nevada office.

Online requests

Online requests can be made via the PACER tool provided by the federal government. Users must first register for an account before they can access bankruptcy records via this tool. The requirements to use PACER are login/password details and a computer with internet access. A search can be conducted by accessing an individual court's PACER website or by using the PACER Case Locator. Access to bankruptcy records via PACER costs $0.10 per page.

Phone requests

Phone requests can be made through the Voice Case Information System (VCIS). Requesters can access bankruptcy records for free by calling (866) 222-8029. A search can be conducted by case number, participant name, or social security number. When a call is made, the requester will be prompted to say the Name of the Court to be connected to, say, Nevada. Requesters will be prompted to select one of the following options:

• Press 1 or say Help to get instructions on how to use the system.
• Press 2 or say Case Number to search by Case Number. Requesters will be prompted to say or enter the two-digit case year. Subsequently, they will be prompted to say or enter the 5-digit case number.
• Press 3 or say Name to search by Participant Name.
• Press 4 or say Social Security to search by Debtor's Social Security Number.

Mail requests

Individuals can mail written requests for uncertified and certified copies of bankruptcy records to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Nevada office. The request must contain a case number, the debtor's Name, the documents that are to be copied, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Copies of bankruptcy records cost $32 per item and $.50 per page. The certification fee is $11 per item. Payment may be in the form of a personal check, a U.S. Postal money order, or a bank cashier's check. Note that cash payments are not acceptable.

In-person requests

Requesters can visit the Clerk's office to retrieve copies of bankruptcy records through computer terminals. Visit to the courthouse must be during office hours (9:00 am – 4:00 pm, Monday – Friday) at any of the following locations:

For Las Vegas Cases
United States Bankruptcy Court
District of Nevada
300 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Las Vegas, NV 89101

For Reno Cases
United States Bankruptcy Court
District of Nevada
300 Booth Street
Reno, NV 89509

Bankruptcy records obtained from public access terminals cost $0.10 per page. Requesters can get up to 10 copies for $0.50 per page. Certified copies cost $0.50 per page and an $11 certification fee per document.

Types of Courts in Nevada

The Nevada court system has a judicial structure comprising:

• Appellate Courts: This is divided into the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals. The Supreme Court is the highest judicial authority in Nevada. The Supreme Court handle cases appealed from trial courts. It helps to determine if there are legal or procedural errors in a court case or if the verdict or judgment was appropriate and fair. The Court of Appeals handles cases assigned by the Supreme Court.
• Trial Courts: These are divided into District Courts, Justice Courts, and Municipal Courts. District Courts are general jurisdiction courts that handle criminal, civil (exceeding $15,000), juvenile, and family cases. The district courts have 82 judges presiding over 17 district courts. Justice Courts are limited jurisdiction courts that handle small claims, eviction, misdemeanors, traffic cases, preliminary felony, and civil matters lesser than $15,000. Nevada has 68 Justices of Peace presiding over 40 justice courts. Municipal Courts are limited jurisdiction courts that handle violations of city ordinances, traffic violations, non-traffic misdemeanors, and parking violations. 30 municipal court judges preside over 17 municipal courts.

Can You Look Up Court Cases in Nevada?

Interested entities may look up court cases in Nevada via an electronic search facility known as C-Track. The C-Track is a Content Management System (CMS) that runs on the browser and is managed by the Appellate Courts. It was provided by the Supreme Court to enable public users to gain easy remote access to court case information. Requesters may find case information on C-Track using two options; the Case Search and the Participant Search.

To look up case information via the Case Search option, follow the following simple steps.

• Visit the C-Track website.
• Click on the Case Search option at the top left corner of the Case Search window.
• Fill out the form with the appropriate information. Required details include the case number and an optional caption.
• Select the Court holding the case information being sought for
• Click the Search button.

To obtain case information using the Participant Search option, requesters may follow the following steps.

• Click on the Participant Search option on the C-Track website.
• Input the Name of the participant you're searching for. There are options for the last Name, First Name, and Middle Name.
• Select the Court handling the case and hit the Search button.

The search produces results on a case or a list of cases, depending on whether there was more than one case that matched the search. If the search returns a list of cases, the user may click on the number beside the desired case. The case information is accessed in a PDF file format. The user may decide to view, download, or print the case information.

Nevada Court Case Lookup Exemptions

Although court case records are public records based on the Nevada Open Records Act, some court records may be exempted from public disclosure. Examples of such records are juvenile records, adoption records, investigative records, and child custody records. Some information in public court records is also considered confidential. For example, personal identifying information like social security number, driver's license number, and bank account number. Confidential court records are only accessible to:

• Case parties
• Legal representatives
• The parent or guardian of a record holder (if the record holder is an unemancipated minor or under a legal incapacity)
• A person with a notarized release from the record holder

How to Find a Court Docket in Nevada

A Nevada court docket is a log that summarizes the court proceedings of a case. It is helpful in finding information about a court case. This information includes case parties' names, court appearance dates, and a summary of the claims or charges. A court docket is also used for identifying the documents filed in a case. This helps requesters understand why a court issued a particular decision or opinion in a case. Individuals can find court dockets online or in person at the courthouse where a case was heard.

Civil vs Small Claims Courts in Nevada: Understanding the Difference

Civil cases in Nevada are legal monetary disputes between entities. It may be between two individuals, an individual, and an organization, or between an organization and another organization. Examples of civil cases include breach of contract, landlord-tenant cases, etc. The primary civil Court in Nevada is the Justice Court. They decide civil cases involving claims of not more than $15,000.

Small claims cases are civil cases with monetary claims of $10,000 or less. These cases are decided by Nevada Small Claims Courts, which are a small division of the Justice Courts. The parties in a small claims case may not need to hire an attorney to represent them. They are legally permitted to represent themselves, generally known as "in proper person" or "pro se". When a plaintiff wins a small claims case, the judge may award the claim and vice versa.