Custody and visitation cases for women are handled in state and county family courts under each state's 'best interest of the child' standard. Mothers seeking sole, joint, or primary physical custody can use free self-help centers inside most courthouses to file petitions, parenting plans, and modification requests without an attorney. The ABA Commission on Domestic & Sexual Violence and the Women's Law Project track state-by-state custody trends, and organizations like the Battered Mothers Custody Conference advocate where abuse intersects with custody. This directory combines official state court self-help portals, county family law facilitators, women-focused family law firms, and maternal advocacy organizations.
Nebraska district courts hear family matters in each of its 93 counties, with many counties using county court for paternity and child support. The Child Support Enforcement division operates under DHHS. Omaha and Lincoln dominate the state's population. Legal Aid of Nebraska and the Nebraska Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence provide statewide civil legal aid and safety services to women.
The Nebraska Supreme Court's self-help portal hosts every approved custody, paternity, and parenting plan form mothers need to file pro se. Plain-language instructions walk you through service of process, the parenting-act education requirement, and modification petitions. Call 402-471-3730 for clerk questions; the site itself is open 24/7 statewide. Free.
402-471-3730 · Statewide Online Resource · Online 24/7 · Visit Website
Omaha's district court hears the bulk of contested custody cases in eastern Nebraska, including initial parenting-plan filings, paternity actions, and emergency ex-parte motions. The family clerk's office at 1701 Farnam helps mothers file petitions, register out-of-state orders, and request fee waivers. Filing is free for indigent litigants; call 402-444-7018 weekdays 8am-4:30pm before walking in.
402-444-7018 · 1701 Farnam St, Omaha, NE 68183 · Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm · Visit Website
Lancaster's family docket covers Lincoln-area custody, divorce, and child-support cases; mothers in Hall Hall of Justice can file complaints, view dockets, and request mediation referrals at the clerk's window. The court runs the mandatory parenting-act class for separating parents. Reach the family clerk at 402-441-7281 weekdays; pro-se packets are free.
402-441-7281 · 575 S 10th St, Lincoln, NE 68508 · Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm · Visit Website
Legal Aid of Nebraska's Omaha office takes free family-law cases for women under 200% of the federal poverty line — custody, protection orders tied to custody, paternity, and grandparent visitation. Staff attorneys handle full representation when conflicts exist; phone intake at 877-250-2016 screens new clients statewide. Walk-ins at 209 S 19th Suite 200 are limited to scheduled appointments.
877-250-2016 · 209 S 19th St Suite 200, Omaha, NE 68102 · Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm · Visit Website
Sarpy County's courthouse in Papillion handles the suburban Bellevue–La Vista–Gretna caseload, with its own parenting-class registration and mediation roster. Mothers filing custody or modification actions can pick up fillable packets from the clerk at 1210 Golden Gate Dr or call 402-593-2267. Fee waivers are available for low-income parents.
402-593-2267 · 1210 Golden Gate Dr, Papillion, NE 68046 · Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm · Visit Website
Grand Island's district court serves the central Platte Valley with custody, paternity, and support filings. The clerk at 111 W 1st provides parenting-act forms, registers foreign custody orders, and schedules mediation through the state ODR. Call 308-385-5135 for docket information or to confirm filing requirements before driving in.
308-385-5135 · 111 W 1st St, Grand Island, NE 68801 · Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm · Visit Website
The Nebraska State Bar's referral service matches mothers with screened family-law attorneys statewide; an initial 30-minute consultation runs around 5 and helps you decide whether to hire counsel for custody or modification work. Reach the referral coordinator at 402-475-7091 weekdays 8-5 or search by county at nebar.com.
402-475-7091 · 635 S 14th St Suite 200, Lincoln, NE 68508 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website
Nebraska's Office of Dispute Resolution runs the court-annexed mediation program required in most contested custody cases before trial. Trained neutrals help parents draft binding parenting plans on schedules, decision-making, and holidays. Reach the central office at 402-471-2766 or request a referral through your judge; sliding-fee mediation is available for low-income mothers.
402-471-2766 · Statewide Service · Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm
Dialing 211 anywhere in Nebraska connects you with a United Way navigator who keeps an updated list of local family-law clinics, supervised-visitation centers, and emergency custody help. Calls are free, confidential, and answered 24/7 in English and Spanish; the navigator can warm-transfer you to legal aid or a DV shelter when needed.
211 · Statewide Service · 24/7 · Visit Website
WomensLaw publishes Nebraska-specific articles on custody jurisdiction, the parenting-act, and how to safely petition when domestic violence is in the picture. Sample motions, court-form links, and a Q&A email hotline staffed by attorneys make this a go-to starting point for mothers without a lawyer. No login or fee required.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
The ABA's Family Law Section directory lets mothers search by city and practice focus (custody, relocation, paternity) to find vetted attorneys in Omaha, Lincoln, or any Nebraska town. The section also publishes consumer guides on parenting plans and interstate cases that are free to download.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
OCSS sets the federal rules every state child-support agency must follow and publishes plain-English explainers for custodial mothers on enforcement, interstate cases (UIFSS), and intercepting tax refunds. The site links to Nebraska's CSE office and lists tribal child-support agencies serving Omaha-Winnebago and Santee Sioux families.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
USA.gov's custody hub is a one-stop index of every federal program a separating mother might touch — child-support enforcement, military custody under the SCRA, parental-kidnapping prevention, and tax credits. Each topic links straight to the relevant agency, so it's a faster entry point than searching individual sites.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
ChildWelfare.gov, run by HHS, focuses on how custody intersects with child welfare — kinship placements, ICPC interstate placements, and reunification after a CPS case. Mothers facing both family-court and DHHS involvement will find tip sheets, sample safety plans, and state-by-state policy summaries useful when negotiating with caseworkers.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
NCJFCJ publishes the bench books Nebraska family-court judges read on domestic-violence-informed custody decisions, the Safe Havens supervised-visitation model, and trauma-responsive parenting plans. Mothers preparing for high-conflict hearings can cite NCJFCJ research in briefs or share it with their attorneys.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
Cornell's LII hosts the actual text of Nebraska Revised Statute Chapter 42 (Parenting Act) alongside annotated federal statutes like the UCCJEA and PKPA — the laws judges rely on when deciding which state has jurisdiction over a child. Free, searchable, and authoritative for mothers building a pro-se case.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
FindLaw's custody library breaks down the standards Nebraska judges apply — best-interest factors, parenting-time presumptions, and the procedural difference between legal and physical custody. Articles include checklists for relocation petitions, modification thresholds, and what to bring to a custody hearing.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website