Logan County Clerk Patty Harvey
Logan County Courthouse in Stapleton, NE
The pictures above were taken by me during my recent trip to North Platte, Nebraska. I was out there with my wife Joyce and two of our three children. During the week that I was in Nebraska, I visted the Logan County Courthouse which is located in Stapleton, Nebraska and met the Clerk of Logan County, Patty Harvey.
Logan County is a farming and ranching community. Its estimated population in 2009 was 731 and its county seat, Stapleton, had a population of 301.
As you can imagine, Logan County doesn't have a lot of lawsuits. According to Clerk Harvey, there are about 12 cases filed a year and usually one or two felony cases. Logan County has about 400 traffic cases filed a year. The traffic cases are usually handled by a clerk-magistrate. Logan County's clerk-magistrate is Cindi Walz, who also serves three other counties, McPherson, Thomas, and Hooker.
Nebraska has a court system that has two types of trial courts, county courts and district courts. Each of Nebraska's 93 counties has a County Court. On the Nebraska Supreme Court website, the jurisdiction of county courts is explained as follows:
The jurisdiction of the county court is established by state law which provides for exclusive original jurisdiction in probate matters, actions based on a violation of a city or village ordinance, juvenile court matters without a separate juvenile court, adoptions, preliminary hearings in felony cases, and eminent domain proceedings. The county courts have concurrent jurisdiction in civil matters when the amount in controversy is $52,000 or less, criminal matters classified as misdemeanors or infractions, some domestic relations matters, and paternity actions. County judges also hear all small claims matters filed within the court system. County judges in all counties except Lancaster, Douglas and Sarpy have the same duties as judges of separate juvenile courts.
In addition to county courts, there are also District Courts. There are 11 judicial districts in Nebraska. Logan is in District No. 11. The jurisdiction of the District Courts is explained on the Nebraska Supreme Court website as follows:
District courts have original jurisdiction in all felony cases, equity
cases, domestic relations cases, and civil cases where the amount in
controversy involves more than $52,000. District courts also have
appellate jurisdiction in certain matters arising out of county court. They
also serve as appellate courts in administrative appeals, where they review
the record of testimony and evidence from the lower court or tribunal and
issue an opinion and ruling in the case. District court decisions may be
appealed to the Nebraska Court of Appeals and/or to the Nebraska
Supreme Court.
The District Court that serves Logan County is headquartered in the Lincoln County Courthouse in North Platte. According to Clerk Harvey the District Court judges hold court in the Logan County Courthouse about once a month. There are four judges in District Number 11, three of whom are from Lincoln County and one of whom is from Dawson County.
The people I met in the Logan County Courthouse were very nice and were kind enough to answer my questions about their courthouse. I enjoyed my short visit with them and maybe I will have the opportunity to visit with them in the future.
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