The official certificate of a justice of the peace of any of the United States, to any judgment, and the preliminary proceeding before him, supported by the official certificate of the clerk of any court of record within the county in which such justice resides, stating that he is an acting justice of the peace of that county, and that the signature of his certificate is genuine, is sufficient evidence of such proceedings and judgment.
§ 25-1287.Records of justice of the peace; how proved.
Article 12: Evidence and Witnesses · Not amended since original codification · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceThis section lets a justice of the peace’s official certificate of a judgment and the preliminary proceedings before that justice, backed by a court clerk’s certificate confirming the justice’s office and the genuineness of the signature, serve as sufficient evidence of the judgment and proceedings.
Full Text of § 25-1287
Source
R.S.1867, Code § 415, p. 462; R.S.1913, § 7980; C.S.1922, § 8921; C.S.1929, § 20-1287; R.S.1943, § 25-1287.
Plain-English Summary
Justice-of-the-peace courts generally lack the seal and institutional record-keeping of courts of record, so proving what happened before one takes a different kind of documentation. Section 25-1287 supplies it. The justice’s own official certificate, describing the judgment and the preliminary proceedings leading up to it, is the starting point.
That certificate needs backup. It must be supported by the official certificate of the clerk of a court of record in the county where the justice resides, and that second certificate has to state two things: that the person is an acting justice of the peace in that county, and that the signature on the justice’s certificate is genuine. Together, the two certificates are sufficient evidence of the proceedings and the judgment, without requiring either official to appear and testify.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a justice of the peace’s certificate need to describe?
The judgment and the preliminary proceedings before the justice.
What backs up the justice’s certificate?
A certificate from the clerk of a court of record in the county where the justice resides.
What must the clerk’s certificate confirm?
That the person is an acting justice of the peace in that county, and that the signature on the justice’s certificate is genuine.
Do the justice and clerk need to testify in court?
No, the two certificates together are sufficient evidence of the proceedings and judgment.
Does this section apply only to Nebraska justices of the peace?
No, it applies to a justice of the peace of any of the United States.
Source & verification. Section text and the amendment-history citation are
reproduced verbatim from the Nebraska Legislature, Revisor of Statutes, enacted by the
Nebraska Legislature. Last verified July 22, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: justice of the peace judgment proofproving out of state jp judgmentjustice of the peace certificate evidencenebraska statute justice of peace records