HOME Court House Justice Center West Wing Blog Seward County Seward County District Court Official: Tera Koetter Phone: (402) 643-4895 Jury Assistant Line: (402) 643-4929 Fax: (402) 643-2950 Email: tkoetter@co.seward.ne.us Location: Justice Center-Suite 145 Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 2021 District Court Calendar Jurisdiction of the District Court District Courts are trial courts of general jurisdiction and are organized into 12 judicial districts to serve all 93 counties in the state. Fifty-three district court judges serve these judicial districts. Although District Court had concurrent jurisdiction with County Courts, they primarily hear all felony criminal cases, equity cases, domestic relations cases and civil cases involving more than $51,000. It also functions as an appellate court in deciding appeals from county courts and various administrative agencies. Functions of the District Court’s Office In addition to being the Administrative Officer of the Court, the Clerks of the District Courts are responsible for maintaining the records of criminal and civil cases, mental health cases, the Court’s dockets and processing judgments. Some other duties of the District Court Office are: Issuing writs and orders; Filing and preserving all papers delivered to the Court; Endorsing papers filed with the Court; Certification/Authentication of court filings; Make entry of return of every summons, subpoena and order served; Keep the records pertaining to the Court and record its proceedings; Provide and process protection order applications; Track all court costs, fees, fines, restitution and judgments ordered in each case filed; The clerk also serves as a passport agent and is the ex-officio jury commissioner for the County. Frequently Asked Questions Can I make a payment online? You are able to pay court costs for criminal, traffic, juvenile, small claims and civil judgments online. http://ne.gov/go/paycourts Who are our District Judges? The Honorable James C. Stecker The Honorable Christina M. Marroquin The Honorable Robert R. Steinke The Honorable Rachel A. Daugherty Do you have forms to complete to file for divorce? Yes, we have dissolution packets for self-represented litigants available for purchasing or if you have access to a computer, you may visit the Nebraska Supreme Court website to download your own. Locate the forms within the ‘self-help’ menu at: http://www.supremecourt.ne.gov/self-help/ Do you have forms to complete to file for custody of my child? No, currently there are no forms available to file for custody of a child. This is a very delicate situation, and will most likely require the advice of legal counsel. If you cannot afford an attorney, you might contact Legal Aid of Nebraska by calling 1-877-250-2016, if you live outside of Douglas County area to see if you qualify. How do I file for a Protection Order Domestic Abuse/Harassment? Start by coming to the District Court office. After you determine which type of protection order you’ll need to file due to your situation, we may ask if you’d like to work with one of the caring staff from the Hope Crisis Center. The center has a satellite office located on the first floor the courthouse. Hope Crisis Center is free confidential assistance for victims of domestic violence, harassment and sexual assault. The 24 hour confidential crisis line 1-877-388-HOPE (4673). Requests for record searches? The Clerk of the District Court office does not conduct record searches. Our records are open to the public. How was I chosen as a Juror? Jurors are randomly chosen from current lists of people age 19 and older living in Seward County, Nebraska, who are either registered voters, licensed drivers or hold state identification cards. If you are no longer a resident, you should notify the proper entity to update your residential information. Seward County Clerk (402)643-2883, Seward Dept. of Motor Vehicles (402)643-2980 How long can I expect to serve on a Jury panel? Your service on a jury depends upon the court’s need and the length of the trials in which you will be serving. The court Judge has final say in dismissing jury panels. How can I be postponed or excused from jury service? A request must be submitted to the court Judge in writing stating what your hardship is at this time. The Judge will address each request individually. You will be notified of the Judge’s decision. Individuals who are 65 years or older can request not to serve. Do I need to make an appointment to have my passport application processed? Applications for a U.S. passport are accepted from 9:00a.m.-4:00p.m., Monday-Friday in the Seward District Court Office. At this current time, we don’t require that you schedule an appointment. However we do appreciate if you phone ahead to (402)643-4895 to verify the availability of our staff to meet your needs. I live outside of Seward County, may I travel to your office for passport processing? Yes, you may. We suggest that when you phone ahead to check on our staff availability, you should also verify with us that you have all the necessary items needed to successfully apply for passport. What do I need to bring to obtain a passport? Each situation may be different, but in most cases you must bring with you: Proof of U.S. Citizenship (Certified copy of birth certificate, impression seal) Proof of Identity (Unexpired Driver’s license, a temporary paper copy of your license is not acceptable) Passport Photo (must be obtained offsite) Appropriate passport application Fees - appropriate form of payments – *US Department of State – personal check or money order *Clerk of the District Court – cash, check or money order 6. Current/Expired Passport book or card Do I need to bring my parents with me when I apply for a passport? If you are 15 years of age and younger, BOTH parents must appear with you when applying If you are 16 or 17 years of age, ONE parent must appear with you when applying If you are 18 years of age and older, you may apply on your own For more passport information and current fees visit website: http://travel.state.gov Court House 529 Seward St Seward, NE 68434 Justice Center 261 S 8th Street Seward, NE 68434 West Wing 322 S 14th Seward, NE 68434 © 2021 by Seward County, Nebraska