Access Washoe County District Court

About the Washoe County District Court

The Second Judicial District Court is the court of general jurisdiction for Washoe County. Nevada's trial-court structure sits the District Court at the top of the trial layer. Below it sit the justice courts and the municipal courts. The court hears felony and gross misdemeanor criminal cases, civil actions over $15,000, family-law matters, juvenile cases, probate and trust matters, guardianship, and appeals from the lower courts. The Nevada Judiciary's About the Nevada Judiciary page sets the framework.

The court runs a public case portal for free searches. The portal home page sits at caseinfo.washoecourts.com. The site exposes two main paths: Case Search for case-level data, and Calendar Search for hearings and dockets. The official About the Portal page explains the scope, the warranty disclaimer, and the link to eFlex for filed documents.

The screenshot below shows the official About the Portal page, captured from caseinfo.washoecourts.com.

The page sets the rules for the portal. Case data is free. Document downloads can require a paid eFlex account. Sealed and juvenile files do not appear.

Washoe County District Court Courthouses

Three court buildings hold the District Court's work. The General Jurisdiction Historic Courthouse on Court Street is the main site for criminal and civil cases. The Family Division sits one block south on South Sierra Street. The Probate Department keeps its desk in Room 125 of the historic courthouse. All three share the same main phone line.

The downtown courthouse is the historic county building. Construction ran from 1890 to 1910, with three additions over the next century. The grand jury rooms and the formal courtrooms run along Virginia Street. The old jail wing along Sierra Street now holds the law library. The main entry is on Court Street.

Washoe County District Court Departments

The Second Judicial District Court runs sixteen numbered judicial departments. Each department has an elected judge. The court also keeps functional departments for probate, family-support, domestic violence, juvenile dependency, juvenile delinquency, and arbitration. The case portal's department dropdown carries all of them.

• Department 1 through Department 16: general-jurisdiction judicial departments hearing felony, civil, and family matters by assignment.
• Probate Department: wills, estates, trusts, guardianship, and conservatorship under Washoe District Court Rule 57.
• UIFSA: Uniform Interstate Family Support Act child-support enforcement cases.
• Domestic Violence: protective orders and related family-violence matters.
• Dependency: juvenile dependency cases involving abuse, neglect, or removal.
• Delinquency: juvenile delinquency cases involving alleged criminal conduct by minors.
• Arbitration: court-annexed arbitration references for qualifying civil cases.

Department 7 also hosts Competency Court each Friday at 10:00 a.m. under Judge Egan K. Walker. The Competency Court was set up by administrative order in February 2023. The screenshot below shows the Competency Court page at washoecourts.com.

The page lays out the weekly docket, the team members, and the standards the court uses for competency review.

District Court vs Justice Court vs Municipal Court

Washoe County uses three layers of trial court. Each layer has its own jurisdiction. The table below maps the split. Use it when a case could land in more than one place.

Appeals from District Court go to the Nevada Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court of Nevada. Appeals from the justice and municipal courts go up to the District Court. For municipal traffic see Washoe County traffic court records.

How a Case Moves Through Washoe County District Court

A case follows a fixed path from filing to disposition. Each step has its own docket event. The flow is the same shape for criminal, civil, family, and probate, even though the events differ by case type. The list below sets the path in order.

1. Filing. The first paper opens the case. In criminal matters, the District Attorney files an information or an indictment. In civil matters, the plaintiff files a complaint. In family and probate matters, a petitioner files a petition.
2. Initial appearance or arraignment. The court reads the charges or the petition and takes a plea or an answer. In criminal cases, this hearing is often by video within 72 hours of booking.
3. Pretrial motions and discovery. The parties exchange information and ask the court to resolve issues before trial.
4. Settlement conference or change of plea. Most cases resolve before trial. A change-of-plea hearing locks in a criminal deal. A settlement conference resolves a civil case.
5. Trial. A jury or bench trial decides the contested issues. The court enters findings or a verdict.
6. Sentencing or judgment. The court imposes a sentence in criminal cases or enters judgment in civil and family cases.
7. Post-judgment and appeal. Motions, probation review, or appeals to the Nevada Court of Appeals follow as needed.

The case flow runs: Justice or Municipal Court › Second Judicial District Court › Nevada Court of Appeals › Supreme Court of Nevada.

Specialty Courts at the Washoe County District Court

The Second Judicial District Court runs problem-solving courts for several groups. Each program runs on a referral path. Some are internal supervised dockets; others are external referrals from criminal cases.

The Adult Drug Court is the longest-running specialty docket. Its screening checklist at washoecourts.com sets eligibility and referral rules. A defendant who is a veteran or active-duty service member is steered to Veterans Court instead. A defendant who is primarily affected by mental illness is steered to Mental Health Court. A defendant in custody may agree to remain at the Washoe County Detention Facility while a treatment bed opens, usually within 2 to 4 weeks.

The screenshot below shows the Adult Drug Court checklist as posted on the court site.

The same checklist drives intake for the other specialty programs.

Veterans Court is a year-long supervised treatment court. Participants must check in with a Specialty Courts Officer for the first three months. Competency Court runs every Friday in Department 7 with Judge Egan K. Walker. Other named programs visible in the calendar search include Felony DUI Court, Mental Health Court, Prison Reentry Court, MAT Court, Family Mental Health Court, and Youth Offender Court.

Media Coverage and eFlex Access

The court keeps separate rules for media access and for document downloads. The case portal gives free case-level data. Filed PDFs may require a paid eFlex subscription. Media equipment is subject to security search. Cell phones must stay off in any courtroom under Nevada Supreme Court Rules 229-246.

The screenshot below is the official Attending Court media-coverage page at washoecourts.com.

The same page notes that paid eFlex subscription accounts may provide access to public documents in Second Judicial District public cases. Free portal access remains the path for case-level lookups. For copies of stamped or certified court documents email Records Request at recordreq@washoecourts.us.

Probate at the Washoe County District Court

The Probate Department sits in Room 125 of the historic courthouse. The Probate Court Guidelines, posted at washoecourts.com, set the rules under Washoe District Court Rule 57. All probate and trust filings must run electronically through eFlex. Petitions and pleadings use "PR" as the department number in the caption unless ordered otherwise.

Proposed orders go by email in Word or Word-compatible format. Paper proposed orders are not accepted. Findings of fact in orders should be plain and concise and not merely repeat all petition allegations. Inventory or Record of Value is due 120 days after appointment under NRS 144.010. For the full process see Washoe County probate records.

Security, Jury, and Visitor Rules

The sheriff screens every person who enters the court building. Weapons, glass bottles, scissors, metal forks, knitting needles, and crochet hooks are not allowed. Cell phones must stay off in every courtroom. Smoking and vaping are barred inside the building and within 50 feet of any entrance. The Attending Court page at washoecourts.com sets the rules. ADA accommodation runs through Court Administration at (775) 328-3194 or courtadmin@washoecourts.us.

Jurors check in at the Jury Commissioner's office in Room 116. The Jury Services parking page covers the Parking Gallery at First and Sierra Streets. The screenshot below shows the Jury Parking page as posted at washoecourts.com/Jury/Parking.

Oversized vehicles 6 feet 8 inches or taller may not use the Parking Gallery and should pick a nearby surface lot. Confirm current rates before you arrive.

Records, Fees, and Clerk Workflow

The Clerk of the Court and Court Administrator manages court case records, filings, calendars, eFlex, and copies. The County Clerk runs a separate office for marriage licenses, business filings, and board minutes. The two offices are not the same. For the court Clerk see Washoe County Clerk of Court. For the County Clerk see Washoe County Clerk.

The Second Judicial District Court charges $0.50 per name per year for records-search staff time. The County Clerk fee schedule sets $0.50 per page for plain copies, $6.00 for certification, and $6.00 for a Certificate of Search. The full clerk fee table sits at washoecounty.gov/clerks/fees.php. For docket and calendar walkthroughs see Washoe County court dockets.

Washoe County District Court Contact and Hours

The general line for the court is (775) 328-3110. Court hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., minus state holidays. Probate is (775) 328-3100 or ProbateDept@washoecourts.us. Court Administration is (775) 328-3194 or courtadmin@washoecourts.us. Records Request runs through recordreq@washoecourts.us. The full court FAQ at washoecourts.com publishes the master phone and email list.

The drop box near security takes filings outside of counter hours. The law library and self-help center sit on the first floor of the historic courthouse and serve self-represented parties in civil, family, probate, and small-claims matters.