Fullerton, Nebraska Public Records

The Nance County Court, also located at the courthouse, handles misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, civil cases under $60,000, small claims up to $3,900, preliminary hearings for felonies, and protection orders. Nebraska offers statewide online access to court records through the Nebraska Judicial Branch's online case search portal at https://www.nebraska.gov/justice/. This system allows searches by party name, case number, or attorney for both District and County Court cases in Nance County. While basic case information, dockets, and some filings are viewable online at no charge, certified copies of documents must be obtained from the Clerk of the District Court. Fees for certified copies are $1.00 per page plus a $1.00 certification fee. Copies of recorded proceedings and other specialized records may have additional fees. Small claims filing fees begin at $46.00 for claims under $1,800, while civil filing fees in District Court start at $158.00 depending on the case type. Marriage dissolution (divorce) filing fees are $158.00. All fee schedules are set by Nebraska statute and Supreme Court rules.

Nebraska counties are not required to provide online property searches, and as of current information, Nance County does not offer a comprehensive online GIS or property search portal. Property assessment information can be obtained by visiting the Assessor's Office in person during business hours or by calling with specific parcel numbers or property addresses. The office maintains parcel maps and can provide property cards showing assessment history, building characteristics, and lot dimensions. The Nance County Register of Deeds, also at 209 Esther Street (phone: 308-536-2331), records and maintains all property transfer documents including warranty deeds, quit claim deeds, mortgages, mortgage releases, liens, easements, and plats. These are permanent public records indexed by grantor, grantee, and legal description. Nebraska does not mandate online access to recorded documents at the county level, and Nance County deed records must generally be searched in person at the Register of Deeds office. Copies of recorded documents are available for a statutory fee of $1.00 per page. To conduct a property title search, researchers should provide the property address or legal description, and staff can assist in locating the relevant documents in the grantor-grantee indices. Recording fees for new documents are $14.00 for the first page and $3.00 for each additional page.

Nance County government offices, all headquartered in Fullerton as the county seat, provide additional employment including the courthouse, sheriff's office, and various county departments. Local agricultural businesses, grain elevators, and farm equipment dealers serve the farming community. Healthcare services are provided by smaller clinics, with residents typically traveling to Columbus (approximately 30 miles southeast) or Grand Island for hospital services. Retail businesses, restaurants, and service providers along Broadway Street and around the town square support both local residents and visitors to the county seat. The median household income in Fullerton is estimated at approximately $52,000, slightly below the Nebraska state average, reflecting the rural agricultural character of the community. Like many rural Nebraska communities, Fullerton faces challenges including population decline as younger residents move to larger urban areas for employment and education opportunities. However, the village maintains stable agricultural-related employment and benefits from its role as the governmental and commercial center of Nance County. Recent economic development efforts have focused on maintaining quality of life amenities, supporting existing businesses, and leveraging the agricultural base through value-added processing opportunities.

Fullerton does not maintain its own municipal police department. Law enforcement services for Fullerton and all of Nance County are provided by the Nance County Sheriff's Office, located at 209 Esther Street, Fullerton, NE 68638. The Sheriff's Office can be reached at (308) 536-2525. The office handles all police reports, incident records, accident reports, and criminal investigations for the Fullerton area. To request copies of police reports or incident records, residents must submit a written request to the Sheriff's Office in person or by mail, providing case numbers or specific dates and details when available. Nebraska law enforcement records are governed by the Nebraska Public Records Statutes (Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 84-712 to 84-712.09), which generally require disclosure of arrest records, incident reports, and booking information, though certain investigative materials and records involving juveniles may be exempt. For arrest and jail booking information, the Nance County Sheriff's Office maintains custody records for the county jail facility. While Nance County does not currently offer a comprehensive online inmate roster, booking information can be obtained by calling the Sheriff's Office at (308) 536-2525. Typical booking information includes the arrestee's name, booking date, charges filed, bond amount, and court dates. Mugshots may be available upon specific request under Nebraska public records law, though some restrictions apply for juveniles and certain sensitive cases. Requests for historical arrest records or detailed custody information should be made in writing to the Sheriff's Office, and there may be copying fees for extensive records requests as allowed under Nebraska statute.

Certified copies of birth certificates cost $17.00 for the first copy and $13.00 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time; death certificates cost $16.00 for the first copy and $13.00 for additional copies. Online ordering is available through the VitalChek service at https://www.vitalchek.com with additional processing fees. Processing time is typically 4-6 weeks for mail requests and faster for online orders. Requesters must provide valid photo identification and proof of eligibility; birth certificates are restricted to the registrant (if of legal age), parents, legal guardians, legal representatives, and those with a direct and tangible interest. Marriage licenses in Nebraska are issued by the County Court, not the County Clerk. For Fullerton residents, marriage licenses are obtained from the Nance County Court at 209 Esther Street, Fullerton, NE 68638 (phone: 308-536-2331). The marriage license fee is $15.00, and there is no waiting period after issuance. Both parties must appear in person with valid photo identification and Social Security numbers. Certified copies of marriage certificates can be obtained from the County Court for $17.00. Divorce records (decrees of dissolution) are maintained by the Clerk of the District Court at the same courthouse address, as divorce cases are filed in District Court. Copies of divorce decrees cost $1.00 per page plus $1.00 for certification. Nebraska vital records privacy laws restrict access to birth certificates for 50 years and restrict certain information on death certificates.

Nance County does not generally require county-level business licenses, but specific regulated activities may require county permits. Business name registrations (trade names and DBAs) for entities operating in Nebraska are filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State. All business entity formation and registration in Nebraska is handled by the Nebraska Secretary of State's Office, Business Services Division, 1200 N Street, Suite 120, Lincoln, NE 68509 (phone: 402-471-4079, website: https://www.nebraska.gov/sos/). Nebraska offers a comprehensive online business entity search at https://www.nebraska.gov/sos/corp/corpsearch.cgi where the public can search for corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships (LLPs), and trade names. The database provides information on entity status (active, dissolved, merged), registered agent name and address, formation date, and corporate officers or LLC members of record. Nebraska requires most business entities to file biennial reports every two years. Filing fees vary: LLC formation costs $105 online ($110 by mail), corporation formation costs $65 online ($70 by mail), and trade name registration costs $100. Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) financing statement searches for liens on business assets are also conducted through the Secretary of State's UCC division at https://www.nebraska.gov/sos/services/ucc_search.html. Personal property liens filed with the Secretary of State are searchable online. For commercial property tax assessments in Fullerton, business owners should contact the Nance County Assessor's Office at 308-536-2255 to obtain assessed values for business real estate and certain categories of business personal property.

Fullerton voters are served by the Nance County Clerk/Election Commissioner, located at 209 Esther Street (Room 202), Fullerton, NE 68638. The office can be reached at (308) 536-2331, and information is available through the Nebraska Secretary of State's election website at https://sos.nebraska.gov/elections. Nebraska residents can register to vote online at https://www.nebraska.gov/apps-sos-voter-registration/, by mail, or in person at the County Clerk's office. The voter registration deadline is 6:00 p.m. on the third Friday before any election (including the 18-day mail-in registration cutoff and the in-person deadline). First-time voters must provide proof of residence, and all voters must provide their Nebraska driver's license or state ID number or the last four digits of their Social Security number. Nebraska law requires photo identification at polling places. Fullerton, as an incorporated village, holds municipal elections for the Village Board of Trustees (typically four trustees) and other village offices. These elections are held in odd-numbered years, generally on the first Tuesday in May. The next Fullerton municipal election will be in May 2025, with positions for village trustees on the ballot. Candidates file with the Nance County Clerk. Fullerton residents find their assigned polling location through the Nebraska Voter Registration Search at https://www.votercheck.necvr.ne.gov/VoterView, which provides precinct assignment and polling place address when entering name and date of birth. Nebraska makes various election records publicly accessible: voter registration lists (with limited information excluding birth dates and Social Security numbers), campaign finance reports filed by candidates and committees (searchable at https://www.nebraska.gov/sos/campaign-finance/), candidate filing information, and precinct-by-precinct election results. The Nance County Clerk maintains these records locally, and statewide data is compiled by the Secretary of State. In the November 2024 general election, Nance County reported approximately 61% voter turnout with roughly 2,800 registered voters and approximately 1,700 ballots cast for the presidential race. Looking ahead to the November 3, 2026 general election, Fullerton and Nance County voters will decide several important races: the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Deb Fischer (Republican) is up for election in 2024, not 2026; however, Nebraska's gubernatorial election does occur in 2026, as Governor Jim Pillen's term expires; all of Nebraska's 49 state legislative seats (including District 41 which includes Nance County) are up for election in 2026 (Nebraska has a nonpartisan unicameral legislature); county offices including County Commissioners, County Clerk, County Treasurer, County Sheriff, County Attorney, County Assessor, and Register of Deeds will be on the ballot. Nebraska voters also elect various judges and may vote on constitutional amendments and ballot initiatives. Nebraska allows early voting by mail (absentee voting) for any registered voter without requiring an excuse. Vote-by-mail applications are available at https://sos.nebraska.gov/elections/early-voting or through the Nance County Clerk. Completed applications must be received by the County Clerk by 6:00 p.m. the second Friday before the election. Ballots must be returned by mail (postmarked by election day and received within a specific timeframe) or delivered in person to the County Clerk by 8:00 p.m. on election day.