Contact
Janet Wiechelman
Clerk of District Court
402-254-6957
402-254-7447 – Fax
Hon. Bryan S. Meismer
District Court Judge
Maggie Cook
Official Court Reporter
Office Hours
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Monday – Friday
Open through the lunch hour
Closed Weekends and Holidays
Mailing Address
PO Box 796
Hartington, NE 68739
Location
2nd Floor
101 S. Broadway
Hartington, NE 68739
Clerk of District Court
Jurisdiction of the District Court
Cedar County is in the 6th Judicial District of Nebraska.
The District Courts are trial courts of general jurisdiction and are organized into 12 judicial districts to serve all 93 counties in the state.
The District Court has concurrent jurisdiction with County Courts. However, the District Court primarily hears all felony criminal cases, equity cases, domestic relations cases and civil cases involving more than $53,000.00. It also functions as an appellate court in deciding appeals from county courts and various administrative agencies.
Functions of the District Court Office
The District Court Staff will be pleased to assist you. Please remember that court employees are prohibited for ethical reasons from dispensing advice or opinions about anything that may come before a court. We are also strictly precluded from interpreting any laws. If you need any legal advice, please contact a licensed attorney in your area.
The Clerk of the District Court is an elected office. The term of the office is four years. 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 of the further duties of the District Court Office are:
- Issuing writs and orders;
- Filing and preserving all papers delivered to 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 records its proceedings;
- Prepare and file the annual inventory statement of all county personal property in his or her custody and possession;
- Provide and process protection order applications;
- Track all court costs, fees, fines, restitution and judgments ordered in each case filed.
The Clerk of the District Court also serves as a passport agent and ex-officio jury commissioner for the County.
Fees for Copies and Fax Services
The following fees apply when obtaining copies or fax services:
- Photocopies
- $0.25 per page
- Certification
- $1.00 per seal for certification