Court records in Clark County, Nevada are maintained by the clerk of the district court and various justice court clerks throughout the county. ClarkCourt.us can help you find publicly available court record information for Clark County. You can also access records through official court portals such as the Clark County Clerk's online search, the Justice Court case search, and in person at the clerk's office. Additional government resources at the county and state level provide related criminal, civil, and family court records.
Clark County Court System Overview
Clark County is part of Nevada's Eighth Judicial District, the largest judicial district in the state. The Eighth Judicial District serves only Clark County. The Clark County District Court is a court of general jurisdiction that handles major civil, criminal, family, and probate matters. Justice courts in Clark County function as limited-jurisdiction courts handling misdemeanors, traffic cases, small claims, and preliminary hearings in felony cases. The main courthouse for the Civil/Criminal Division is located at 200 Lewis Avenue, Las Vegas, Nevada 89155. The general phone number for the clerk's office is (702) 455-4011. Court offices are typically open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding state holidays.
Courts Serving Clark County
Eighth Judicial District Court — Civil/Criminal Division
Eighth Judicial District Court — Family Division
Las Vegas Township Justice Court
Other Clark County Justice Courts
Clark County operates several additional justice courts serving outlying townships, including Boulder, Henderson, Laughlin, Mesquite, Moapa Valley, North Las Vegas, and Searchlight. Case records for these courts are searchable through the Clark County Justice Court public access portal.
Las Vegas Municipal Court
The Las Vegas Municipal Court handles city ordinance violations and misdemeanors occurring within Las Vegas city limits.
United States District Court, District of Nevada
United States Bankruptcy Court, District of Nevada
What Types of Cases Clark County Courts Hear
Courts in Clark County handle a wide range of case types across multiple divisions and jurisdictions:
- Criminal: Felonies, gross misdemeanors, misdemeanors, infractions
- Civil: General civil litigation, contract disputes, tort claims, landlord-tenant matters
- Small claims: Disputes up to the statutory dollar limit
- Family law: Divorce, custody, child support, paternity, protection orders, termination of parental rights
- Probate: Decedent estates, guardianships, conservatorships, trust matters
- Juvenile: Delinquency proceedings, child protective cases, adoptions
- Traffic: Moving violations, DUI, parking citations
The specific court that hears a case depends on the severity of the charge, the dollar amount at issue, and the subject matter.
District Court Cases in Clark County
The Eighth Judicial District Court hears felony criminal cases after a justice court binds a defendant over for trial. It also handles civil cases where the amount in controversy exceeds $15,000, which is the upper limit of justice court civil jurisdiction in Nevada. Appeals from justice court and municipal court decisions are heard at the district level. Post-conviction relief petitions, such as habeas corpus and motions to seal criminal records, are also filed in district court. The Clark County District Attorney's office provides record sealing forms and instructions for eligible individuals. Cases are assigned to individual judges through a random assignment system. District court judges preside over both bench and jury trials.
Magistrate Court Cases in Clark County
In Nevada, justice courts serve the role that magistrate courts fill in many other states. Clark County's justice courts hear misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor cases, conduct preliminary hearings for felony charges, and handle civil disputes up to $15,000. Small claims cases may be filed for amounts up to $10,000 under Nevada law. Justice courts also process traffic citations, DUI arraignments, and eviction proceedings. The Las Vegas Township Justice Court records inquiry allows online searches for civil and criminal cases. Traffic citation records are typically updated within three to four weeks of the hearing date. Given the high volume of cases in Clark County, individual justice court judges often handle specialized calendars for traffic, criminal, or civil matters.
Family Law, Probate, and Juvenile Matters in Clark County
Family Law
Divorce, custody, child support, paternity, civil protection orders, and termination of parental rights are handled by the Eighth Judicial District Court Family Division, located at 601 North Pecos Road. The Clark County Recorder's Office can record a divorce decree only after it has been filed with Family Court. Marriage records can be searched through the Clark County Clerk's marriage record search.
Probate
Decedent estates, guardianships, conservatorships, and trust matters are heard in the district court's probate division. Filings are processed through the Clark County Clerk's Office at the Family Court and Services Center.
Juvenile
Juvenile delinquency proceedings, child protective cases, and adoptions are handled by the district court's juvenile division. Juvenile court records are confidential under Nevada law and are not available through public online portals. Contact the juvenile division directly for information about accessing records when legally authorized.
How Cases Move Through the Clark County Court System
- Filing/Initiation: A case begins with a criminal complaint filed by the district attorney, a civil complaint filed by a plaintiff, or a petition in family or probate matters.
- Assignment: Cases are randomly assigned to a judge. In justice court, cases go to the appropriate township court.
- Initial Hearings: Criminal defendants appear for arraignment. Civil cases receive an initial scheduling conference or case management order.
- Pre-Trial Phase: Parties exchange discovery, file motions, and may engage in plea negotiations (criminal) or settlement discussions (civil).
- Trial or Resolution: Cases proceed to trial (bench or jury), result in a plea agreement, settle, or end by default judgment.
- Post-Judgment: Criminal cases move to sentencing. Civil judgments may be enforced through the Sheriff's Civil Process Bureau. Either party may appeal to a higher court.
Court Administration, Local Rules, and Public Access in Clark County
The Eighth Judicial District Court is administered by a chief judge and a court administrator. The Nevada Judiciary website publishes statewide court rules, administrative orders, and links to local court rules for each judicial district.
Under Nevada's Public Records Act (NRS Chapter 239), most court records are open to public inspection unless sealed by court order or made confidential by statute. Sealed records include certain juvenile proceedings, adoption files, and cases where a judge has granted a record-sealing petition. You can submit a public records request through Clark County's official portal for non-court county records.
Hearings in Clark County courts are generally open to the public. Many proceedings are also available via remote video or telephonic appearance — check the specific court division for current electronic hearing procedures. Contact the clerk's office at (702) 455-4011 for questions about attending hearings or accessing courtroom calendars.
Court Records and Related Court Resources in Clark County
- District Court Clerk Records Search: Search district court filings by party name through the Clark County Clerk's name search portal.
- Justice Court Case Search: The Clark County Justice Court public access site covers Boulder, Henderson, Las Vegas, Laughlin, Mesquite, Moapa Valley, North Las Vegas, and Searchlight justice courts.
- Las Vegas Justice Court Records: Search civil and criminal cases and view court calendars through the Las Vegas Township Justice Court records inquiry.
- Appellate Case Lookup: Search Nevada Supreme Court and Court of Appeals filings through the appellate courts case lookup.
- Warrant Status: Check for outstanding warrants through the Clark County District Attorney's warrant information page or the Las Vegas Municipal Court warrant search.
- Inmate Search: Look up current inmates at the Clark County Detention Center inmate search. For state prison inmates, use the Nevada Department of Corrections offender search.
- Criminal History Records: Request a Nevada criminal history report through the Nevada State Police Records, Communications and Compliance Division.
- Recorded Documents: Search deeds, liens, and other recorded documents through the Clark County Recorder's online portal.
- Marriage Records: Search marriage records through the Clark County Clerk's marriage search.
- Record Sealing: Forms and instructions for sealing criminal records in Clark County are available from the District Attorney's record sealing page.