Nevada Court Records

Nevada's court system comprises four tiers: the courts of limited jurisdiction, the court of general jurisdiction, the intermediate appellate court, and the supreme court. The majority of Nevada residents are familiar with or have had contact with the municipal and justice courts, as they are the courts handling lesser civil cases, traffic tickets, and parking citations.

Generally, municipal courts oversee cases involving traffic violations and misdemeanor offenses within city limits. Justice courts handle a broader range of cases, including misdemeanor crimes, traffic infractions, small claims disputes, and evictions. Additionally, justices of the peace conduct preliminary hearings for felony and gross misdemeanor cases to determine whether sufficient evidence exists for trial at the district court.

Beyond the courts of limited jurisdiction, the district courts serve as Nevada's courts of general jurisdiction, handling criminal, civil, family, and juvenile cases. These courts also oversee appeals from justice and municipal courts.

To manage the high volume of appeals, Nevada has a court of appeals, which is the intermediate appeal court in the state. The court of appeals hears approximately one-third of all cases brought before the supreme court. Operating under a deflective model, the supreme court assigns cases to the three-judge court of appeals, allowing for a more efficient resolution of appellate matters.

At the highest level, the Nevada Supreme Court is responsible for reviewing appeals from district court cases. Unlike lower courts, the Supreme Court does not conduct fact-finding trials; instead, it determines whether legal or procedural errors occurred during previous proceedings.

Together, Nevada courts handle approximately 700,000 new case filings (including traffic filings) annually.

What Are the Types of Court Records In Nevada?

Case records include case files and other documentation of actions or files submitted or created during legal proceedings in Nevada courts. The records generated in each court in the Nevada court system are maintained by the clerk of that court. Court clerks are the designated custodians of court records in Nevada.

The following record types are maintained by the clerks in Nevada courts:

• Nevada Supreme Court
• Opinions and Rulings: Final, published decisions on appeals involving constitutional issues, significant questions of state law, and discretionary review of Court of Appeals decisions.
• Case Dockets: Detailed listings of filings, motions, and rulings in pending or resolved Supreme Court cases.
• Attorney and Judicial Discipline: Records of matters referred by the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline or the State Bar of Nevada involving alleged ethical violations or misconduct by attorneys or judges.
• Administrative Orders and Court Rules: Rules governing legal practice and court administration, including amendments to the Nevada Rules of Appellate Procedure, Civil Procedure, and Evidence.
• Petitions for Writ Review: Includes writs of certiorari, mandamus, or prohibition, which seek Supreme Court review of decisions from the Nevada Court of Appeals or District Courts.
• Nevada Court of Appeals
• Appellate Case Dockets: Listings of appeals including case status, filing deadlines, and orders issued by the court.
• Published Opinions and Dispositions: Written decisions with legal reasoning and conclusions issued in appealed cases.
• Briefs and Motions: Filed documents outlining the legal arguments of the appellant and respondent.
• Oral Argument Transcripts: Summaries or recordings of oral arguments.
• Nevada District Courts
• Criminal Court Records: Felony and gross misdemeanor cases, including indictments, arraignments, trials, convictions, and sentencing orders.
• Civil Litigation Files: Includes breach of contract cases, personal injury lawsuits, property disputes, and judgments.
• Probate and Guardianship Records: Documentation related to wills, estate administration, conservatorships, and guardianship proceedings.
• Family Division Cases: Records of cases such as divorce, child custody, support, annulment, and protective orders.
• Divorce and Separation Cases: Petitions, settlements, decrees of divorce, and support orders.
• Child Custody and Support Orders: Legal decisions regarding parenting time, child support amounts, and visitation rights.
• Juvenile Justice Records: Proceedings involving minors charged with delinquent acts or status offenses.
• Adoption and Termination of Parental Rights Records
• Nevada Justice and Municipal Courts
• Traffic and Misdemeanor Offenses: Records of citations for speeding, DUI, reckless driving, and other non-felony charges.
• Small Claims Cases: Records of civil matters with monetary claims up to $10,000, resolved without formal legal procedures.
• Evictions and Landlord-Tenant Disputes: Summary eviction proceedings and tenant/landlord claims.
• City Ordinance Violations: Records of curfew violations, disturbing the peace, and minor infractions within city limits.

Are Nevada Court Records Public?

Nevada court records are generally public per the provisions of the Nevada Public Records Act (NPRA). Although most court records are accessible to the public under this Act, some are exempt from public disclosure in order to protect privacy and security. Common court records exempt from public disclosure include juvenile records, adoption records, mental health valuations, and sealed court records. Courts in Nevada may seal records to protect proprietary business information, protect the identity of victims in cases of domestic violence or sexual assault, and to prevent harm to innocent individuals.

How Do I Search Nevada Court Records?

You may search court records in Nevada using the following methods:

• Appellate Courts Case Lookup: This tool provides online access to cases filed in the state's appellate courts. Case information on the portal is searchable by case docket or party name. If you use the case search option, you must provide the five-digit case number on the search box. However, if you are using the participant search option, you must enter the last name or organization name of the appellant. In addition, you may provide the first name and middle name of the participant to refine your search.
• Docket entries are listed in chronological order, with the most recent filings appearing at the bottom. To view the latest orders or notices, scroll to the end of the docket list. To open a document, select its highlighted document number.
• Trial Courts Case Search: Nevada does not provide a statewide system to search records of its trial courts. To search these records, you must visit the website or the court maintaining the record to verify if it offers a search tool to look up court records in the jurisdiction. For instance, Washoe County and Clark County provide online access to case records of its courts. To perform a search for the records of these courts, you will need to provide a party name, case number, and filing date.

How To Retrieve Court Records Offline

If the record you need is not available online or you want a certified copy of a Nevada court record, you must visit the court clerk's office in the courthouse where the case was filed. Note that your request may involve copy fees and photo ID. Also, to enable the office of the clerk to perform a search for the record you need, you must provide relevant information such as a party name, the filing date, and case number or ID.

The fees for obtaining Nevada court records vary depending on the type of request and jurisdiction. However, standard copies of court records typically cost between $0.50 and $1 per page, while certification generally costs between $3 and $5 per document.

Similarly, the processing times for Nevada court records vary depending on the court and the nature of the request. Inspections and copy requests for recent court records are usually processed on the same day as requests, while copy requests for certified records may take up to five business days or more for complex requests.

Can I Seal or Expunge a Nevada Court Record?

Nevada does not have a records expungement law as the state does not provide for the deletion or destruction of records. The state only allows sealing, which it defines as making a record invisible to the public. Sealed records are not destroyed and may still be accessed by law enforcement and certain other government agencies under specific conditions. Chapters 179.245 through 179.301 govern the sealing of criminal records in Nevada.

Eligibility for record sealing in Nevada depends on several factors. These factors include the nature of the offense, whether the offense was a misdemeanor or felony, the outcome of the case, and how much time has passed since the case was closed.

If the charges against you were dismissed or if you were acquitted, you may petition to have your record sealed immediately: no waiting period is required in such cases. However, if you were convicted, Nevada law imposes specific waiting periods before you may apply to seal your record. The length of the waiting period depends on the severity of the offense.

For example, most misdemeanor convictions require a two-year waiting period. More serious misdemeanors, such as DUI or domestic violence, generally require a 7-year wait. For felony convictions, the waiting time increases with the severity of the offense: category E felonies require a 7-year wait, categories C and D require 12 years, and categories A and B felonies typically require a waiting period of 15 years.

Note that some offenses are ineligible for record sealing under Nevada law. These include felony DUI convictions, sex-related offenses, and crimes committed against children. Due to the changing and complex nature of sealing statutes in Nevada, it is recommended that you consult with an experienced expungement attorney to verify for eligibility before submitting a sealing request to the court. Even if you meet the statutory conditions for sealing a record in the state, the judge retains discretion to deny your application. If your request is denied, you must wait a period of 24 months before you may petition a Nevada court for sealing.

The sealing process in Nevada follows these steps:

• Obtain Criminal History: Request your criminal history report from the Nevada Department of Public Safety. If you do not have a conviction, you may obtain a judgement of conviction and discharge from the district court clerk.
• Prepare Legal Documents: Draft a petition, affidavit, and proposed order for sealing. Include details of arrests, charges, and final dispositions. You may also obtain a set of forms for sealing from the DA's office.
• File the Documents: The petition must be filed within 30 days of the receipt of the criminal history record with the DA's office in the county where you were arrested or convicted
• Wait for the District Court: If the District Attorney agrees to sealing, file the documents with the court. If the District Attorney objects, a hearing may be scheduled.
• Court Decision: If a hearing is scheduled, the judge will review the petition and issue a decision.
• Notification: If your request is approved, you must notify all relevant agencies to update their records.

How To Search Federal Court Records in Nevada

Nevada has only one federal trial-level court: the United States District Court for the District of Nevada, with locations in Las Vegas, Reno, and Elko. This court has jurisdiction over cases authorized by federal statutes or the U.S. Constitution. Matters handled by the court include civil lawsuits, federal criminal cases, and bankruptcy proceedings.

Records from the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada can be accessed through PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records). To use the PACER system to search federal court records, follow these steps:

• Visit the PACER website.
• Create an account on the system
• Log in and search by case number or party name.

Be aware that PACER charges $0.10 per page, with a maximum of $3.00 per document. However, if your total quarterly usage is under $30, fees are usually waived.

However, if you prefer to view records in person or need documents not available online, you may visit the Clerk's Office at any of the Nevada federal courthouses in Las Vegas, Reno, or Elko, depending on which of the courthouses the case was filed. At the office of the clerk, you may request viewing or copying case files. You will be required to provide relevant information to the search and pay the appropriate copy fees.

How To Get Nevada Court Records Online for Free?

You may obtain Nevada court case records online for free via the appellate court case lookup tool (only provides access to records of the court of appeals and the supreme court) and case search systems provided by some of the trial courts in the state. Some third-party services, such as PeopleRecords.us aggregate public court records in online databases that may be searched by interested persons. Hence, you may use any such reliable service to obtain Nevada court records online for free.