Martell, Nebraska Public Records

The Lancaster County Court, also at 575 South 10th Street, phone (402) 441-7471, handles misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, civil cases up to $57,000, small claims cases up to $3,900, protection orders, and preliminary hearings for felonies. Nebraska offers online court records access through the state's JUSTICE system at www.nebraska.gov/justice, which allows searches by party name, case number, or attorney for cases filed in District Courts and County Courts statewide. Not all historical records are digitized, but most cases from recent decades are searchable. Access to certain juvenile, adoption, mental health, and sealed records is restricted. Certified copies of court documents cost $1.50 per page, with a minimum fee of $2.00 per document, plus an additional $1.00 certification fee. Copy fees for standard copies are $0.50 per page. Requests for court records can be made in person at the Clerk of the District Court office or County Court clerk's office, by mail with prepayment, or through attorneys who have enhanced online access. The Lancaster County Law Library is located within the courthouse and provides public access to legal research materials.

Nebraska's public records law, known as the Nebraska Public Records Statutes, governs the accessibility of these records, ensuring transparency and public access while protecting sensitive information.

The Assessor maintains an excellent online property search system at www.lincoln.ne.gov/propertysearch where users can search by owner name, property address, or parcel identification number to view current assessed values, property characteristics, building information, sales history, aerial photographs, and tax district information. This database is free to use and includes detailed information on properties throughout Martell and all of Lancaster County. For recorded documents such as deeds, mortgages, liens, easements, and other instruments affecting real property title, the Lancaster County Register of Deeds maintains official records at 555 South 10th Street, Room 108, Lincoln, NE 68508, phone (402) 441-7481, website www.lancaster.ne.gov/deeds. The Register of Deeds provides free online access to recorded documents dating back several decades through their online document search at www.lancaster.ne.gov/deeds, where users can search by name, document type, book and page number, or date range. Images of recorded documents can be viewed and printed at no charge. Recording fees vary by document type, with standard deeds costing $15.00 for the first page and $3.00 for each additional page. Lancaster County also maintains a GIS mapping system at https://gis.lincoln.ne.gov that provides interactive parcel maps, zoning information, flood zones, and aerial imagery for all county properties.

Major employers in the broader Lincoln-Lancaster County area that serve as employment centers for Martell residents include the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Bryan Health, Lincoln Public Schools, the State of Nebraska government, Nelnet, Union Bank & Trust, Duncan Aviation, and Kawasaki Motors Manufacturing. The Norris School District, which serves Martell, is also a local employer. According to U.S. Census data for the broader ZIP code area, median household income is estimated around $65,000 to $75,000, reflecting a mix of agricultural income and commuter wages. Martell has seen minimal commercial development in recent decades, maintaining its rural residential character while benefiting from proximity to Lincoln's growing economy. The construction of improved transportation infrastructure along Highway 33 has enhanced connectivity to Lincoln. Lancaster County's economy overall is diverse and stable, anchored by government, education, insurance, and healthcare sectors in Lincoln, while rural areas like Martell maintain their agricultural heritage. The community benefits from Lancaster County's strong property tax base and relatively low unemployment rates compared to other rural Nebraska counties.

Martell is an unincorporated community with no municipal police department. Law enforcement services are provided by the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office, located at 575 South 10th Street, Lincoln, NE 68508, phone (402) 441-6500, website www.lancaster.ne.gov/sheriff. The Sheriff's Office has countywide jurisdiction and responds to calls for service in Martell, investigates crimes, and maintains incident reports and accident records for the area. Residents can request copies of police reports by visiting the Sheriff's Office in person or submitting written requests with case numbers and dates of incidents. For arrests and jail bookings, the Lancaster County Adult Detention Facility maintains an online inmate roster accessible at www.lincoln.ne.gov/corrections, which provides information on current inmates including names, booking dates, charges, bond amounts, and sometimes booking photographs. The roster is updated regularly and allows searches by name or booking number. Nebraska's public records law is codified in Nebraska Revised Statutes §84-712 through §84-712.09, known as the Public Records Statutes. Under these provisions, citizens have the right to examine and copy public records maintained by government agencies, with some exceptions for active investigations, confidential informants, and certain personnel matters. Law enforcement agencies must respond to records requests within four business days, either providing the records, explaining why they are exempt, or stating when they will be available. Fees for copying records are limited to actual costs of duplication. Arrest records, booking logs, and incident reports are generally public unless they involve ongoing investigations or juvenile matters.

Processing typically takes 10-15 business days for mail requests. Online ordering through VitalChek at www.vitalchek.com is available with expedited processing for an additional fee, with delivery in 5-7 business days. Birth records in Nebraska are confidential for 50 years and available only to the registrant (if 18 or older), parents, legal guardians, legal representatives, or court order. Death records are public. Marriage licenses are obtained from the Lancaster County Clerk's Office at 555 South 10th Street, Room 101, Lincoln, NE 68508, phone (402) 441-7481. Marriage licenses cost $15.00, require both parties to appear in person with photo identification and social security numbers, and have no waiting period. Marriage records are maintained by the County Clerk and are public records. Divorce records are court records maintained by the Lancaster County District Court and can be accessed through court record searches. Certified copies of vital records require valid photo identification and proof of eligibility to obtain restricted records.

Zoning and building permits for commercial structures in unincorporated Lancaster County are handled by the Lancaster County Planning Department at 555 South 10th Street, Lincoln, NE 68508, phone (402) 441-7180. Businesses operating under a fictitious name (DBA) must file with the Lancaster County Register of Deeds for a trade name certificate, which costs $100.00 for the initial filing. Nebraska state-level business entity searches, including corporations, limited liability companies, limited partnerships, and nonprofit organizations, are conducted through the Nebraska Secretary of State's office. The Secretary of State maintains a free online business entity search at www.sos.nebraska.gov/business-services/business-search where users can search by business name, registered agent, or filing number to verify entity status, view officers and directors, check registered agent information, and see the date of incorporation or organization. New business entity filings are submitted online through the same portal. For professional and occupational licenses such as contractors, healthcare providers, and cosmetologists, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services maintains license verification databases by profession. UCC lien searches for secured transactions are conducted through the Nebraska Secretary of State's UCC search system at www.sos.nebraska.gov/business/ucc. Commercial property owners in Martell can view their property tax assessments through the Lancaster County Assessor's online database, which includes assessed values for business real estate and personal property.

Martell voters are served by the Lancaster County Election Commissioner's Office, located at 601 North 46th Street, Lincoln, NE 68503, phone (402) 441-7311, website www.lancaster.ne.gov/election. This office administers all federal, state, county, and special district elections for Lancaster County residents, including those in Martell. Nebraska voters can register online at www.nebraska.gov/apps/sos/voter-registration through the Nebraska Secretary of State's website, by mail using a voter registration application, or in person at the Election Commissioner's office. Registration must be completed or postmarked at least 6:00 p.m. on the third Friday before any election. Nebraska requires voters to provide their driver's license number or the last four digits of their social security number when registering. Because Martell is unincorporated with no municipal government, there are no city council or mayoral elections. Martell residents vote in Lancaster County elections for County Commissioners, Sheriff, County Attorney, Register of Deeds, County Clerk, Treasurer, Assessor, and other county offices. They also participate in elections for Nebraska's unicameral legislature (State Senator), U.S. House of Representatives (District 1), U.S. Senate, Governor, and other statewide offices. To find their assigned polling place, Martell voters can use the polling place lookup tool at www.lancaster.ne.gov/election or call the Election Commissioner's office with their address. In the November 2024 general election, Lancaster County reported voter turnout of approximately 73%, with over 185,000 ballots cast out of roughly 254,000 registered voters. For the November 3, 2026 general election, Nebraska voters will decide several important races. While Nebraska does not have U.S. Senate seats up in 2026, voters will elect all members of the Nebraska Legislature (nonpartisan unicameral body), all Nebraska U.S. House seats, the Governor of Nebraska, and various county offices including some Lancaster County positions depending on term schedules. Nebraska offers early voting beginning 30 days before any election at the Election Commissioner's office and designated early voting locations. Mail-in (absentee) ballots are available to any registered voter upon request—no excuse is required. Voters can request mail ballots online at www.lancaster.ne.gov/election starting 120 days before an election. Completed ballots must be received by the Election Commissioner by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. Public election records in Nebraska include voter registration lists (available for purchase for political purposes), campaign finance reports filed with the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission at www.nadc.nebraska.gov, candidate filing information maintained by the Secretary of State and Election Commissioner, and precinct-level election results posted at www.lancaster.ne.gov/election after each election. Voter history (whether someone voted, but not how they voted) is also public record.