Nebraska Civil Cover Sheet

CIVIL COVER SHEET

Nebraska District Court

Filed with Initial Complaint or Petition

COURT IDENTIFICATION

IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF [________________________________] COUNTY, NEBRASKA

Judicial District: [________________________________]

(Nebraska has 12 judicial districts)

CASE CAPTION

IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF [________________________________] COUNTY, NEBRASKA

Case No.: CI [________________] (assigned by Clerk); Judge: [________________________]

SECTION 1: PARTY INFORMATION

PLAINTIFF(S)

Additional Plaintiff(s): ☐ See attached list

DEFENDANT(S)

Additional Defendant(s): ☐ See attached list

SECTION 2: ATTORNEY INFORMATION

ATTORNEY FOR PLAINTIFF(S)

☐ Self-Represented Litigant (Pro Se)

ATTORNEY FOR DEFENDANT(S) (if known)

SECTION 3: CASE TYPE / CLASSIFICATION

Select the primary case type (per Nebraska JUSTICE system categories):

Contract / Commercial
☐ Breach of Contract — General
☐ Breach of Contract — Consumer
☐ Breach of Contract — Employment
☐ Breach of Contract — Insurance
☐ Collections / Debt
☐ Commercial / Business Dispute
☐ Breach of Warranty
☐ UCC Dispute
☐ Other Contract: [________________________________]

Tort — Personal Injury
☐ Motor Vehicle Accident
☐ Premises Liability / Slip and Fall
☐ Medical Malpractice / Professional Negligence
☐ Legal Malpractice
☐ Products Liability
☐ Wrongful Death
☐ Assault / Battery
☐ Defamation / Libel / Slander
☐ Other Personal Injury: [________________________________]

Tort — Property
☐ Property Damage
☐ Trespass
☐ Conversion
☐ Nuisance
☐ Other Property Tort: [________________________________]

Real Property
☐ Quiet Title
☐ Ejectment
☐ Foreclosure (Judicial)
☐ Partition
☐ Condemnation / Eminent Domain
☐ Mechanic's Lien
☐ Landlord-Tenant (Restitution of Premises)
☐ Boundary Dispute
☐ Other Real Property: [________________________________]

Employment
☐ Discrimination (Nebraska Fair Employment Practice Act, Neb. Rev. Stat. § 48-1101 et seq.)
☐ Wrongful Termination
☐ Wage and Hour Claim (Nebraska Wage Payment and Collection Act)
☐ Non-Compete / Restrictive Covenant
☐ Workers' Compensation (Review — filed in District Court)
☐ Other Employment: [________________________________]

Equity / Injunctive
☐ Temporary Restraining Order
☐ Preliminary / Permanent Injunction
☐ Declaratory Judgment (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-21,149 et seq.)
☐ Specific Performance
☐ Accounting / Constructive Trust
☐ Mandamus
☐ Quo Warranto
☐ Other Equitable: [________________________________]

Administrative / Government
☐ Administrative Appeal (APA — Neb. Rev. Stat. § 84-917)
☐ Tax Appeal
☐ Habeas Corpus
☐ State Tort Claims Act (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 81-8,209 et seq.)
☐ Other Administrative: [________________________________]

Other Civil
☐ Foreign Judgment Registration (Uniform Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act)
☐ Name Change
☐ Protection Order (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 26-103; former § 42-924 recodified eff. 9/3/2025)
☐ Garnishment / Execution
☐ Replevin
☐ Civil Contempt
☐ Expungement / Set Aside
☐ Interpleader
☐ Other: [________________________________]

Description of cause(s) of action:

[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Applicable statute(s):

[________________________________]

SECTION 4: AMOUNT IN CONTROVERSY

Jurisdictional Amount:

☐ $5,800 or less (Small Claims Court — Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2802)
☐ $5,800.01 – $70,000 (County Court concurrent jurisdiction — Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-517)
☐ Over $70,000 (District Court exclusive civil jurisdiction)
☐ Amount not yet determinable
☐ Non-monetary relief only (equity)

Note: Nebraska County Court and District Court have concurrent jurisdiction in civil cases involving $70,000 or less (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-517). Cases exceeding $70,000 must be filed in District Court.

Specific amount claimed (if determinable): $[________________________________]
(Exclusive of interest, costs, and attorney fees)

Non-monetary relief sought:
☐ Injunctive Relief
☐ Declaratory Judgment
☐ Specific Performance
☐ Writ of Mandamus
☐ Replevin / Recovery of Specific Property
☐ Other Equitable Relief: [________________________________]

SECTION 5: JURY DEMAND

☐ Jury Trial Demanded (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-1101; Neb. Const. Art. I, § 6)

☐ Court Trial (Non-Jury)

☐ Jury demand reserved — to be filed within time permitted by rule

Note: Under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-1101, either party may demand a jury trial. The demand must be made within the time frame set by court rule. Under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-1112, in most districts the jury demand must be filed with the first pleading or within 10 days after the case is at issue. Failure to demand timely results in waiver.

Number of jurors: ☐ 6 (civil cases, unless 12 requested) ☐ 12

Note: Nebraska uses 6-person juries in civil cases unless a party requests 12 jurors (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-1105).

SECTION 6: RELATED CASES

Are there related cases pending or previously filed in any Nebraska court?

☐ No
☐ Yes — Provide details:

Prior appeals or arbitrations: [________________________________]

Is consolidation being sought? ☐ Yes ☐ No

SECTION 7: FILING FEE INFORMATION

Nebraska District Court Civil Filing Fees (Effective July 1, 2025):

Additional Fees (if applicable):

Payment Method:
☐ Check / Money Order payable to "Clerk of the District Court, [County] County"
☐ Cash (at clerk's window)
☐ Credit / Debit Card (via JUSTICE e-filing or at clerk's office, where accepted)
☐ Fee Waiver Granted (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2301 — Poverty Affidavit / In Forma Pauperis)

Note: Under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2301, a party who is unable to pay filing fees may file a poverty affidavit (in forma pauperis petition). The court will review the affidavit and may waive or reduce fees.

SECTION 8: VENUE CERTIFICATION

Venue is proper in this county because (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-401 et seq.):

☐ Defendant resides in this county (§ 25-401)
☐ Cause of action arose in this county
☐ The transaction or part of the transaction occurred in this county (§ 25-403.01)
☐ Real property at issue is located in this county (§ 25-404)
☐ Defendant corporation has its principal office or registered agent in this county (§ 25-405)
☐ Plaintiff resides in this county and defendant is a nonresident (§ 25-402)
☐ Transitory action — defendant may be found in this county (§ 25-401)
☐ Other statutory basis: [________________________________]

SECTION 9: SERVICE OF PROCESS

Method of Service (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-505.01 et seq.):

☐ Personal Service by Sheriff (§ 25-505.01)
☐ Personal Service by Licensed Process Server
☐ Service by Certified Mail (§ 25-505.01)
☐ Service by Designated Delivery Service (§ 25-505.01)
☐ Service by Publication (§ 25-517 et seq.) — Court order required
☐ Acceptance / Waiver of Service (§ 25-525)
☐ Service on Secretary of State (for foreign corporations — § 25-510.02)
☐ Residential Service (leaving at dwelling with suitable person — § 25-505.01)

Note: Under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-505.01, service may be made by any person who is at least 19 years old and not a party to the action. The sheriff is not required to serve process unless requested.

SECTION 10: ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION (ADR) / MEDIATION

Nebraska Dispute Resolution Requirements:

☐ This case is subject to mandatory mediation (check local district rules)
☐ Parties request mediation
☐ Parties request arbitration (binding)
☐ Parties request arbitration (non-binding)
☐ Parties request neutral evaluation / early assessment
☐ No ADR planned at this time

Note: Nebraska has a statewide Office of Dispute Resolution (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2902 et seq.) that provides mediation services. Some judicial districts (particularly the 3rd — Lancaster County, and 4th — Douglas County) have local rules requiring or encouraging mediation in certain civil case types. The $0.75 dispute resolution fee included in the filing fee supports this program.

Mediator / Neutral selected: [________________________________]
Nebraska ODR Approved: ☐ Yes ☐ No
Proposed ADR date: [__/__/____]

Local District Court Mediation Rules:
☐ This district requires mandatory mediation before trial
☐ This district has a mediation local rule — Rule No.: [________________________________]
☐ No local mediation requirement applies

SECTION 11: SCHEDULING INFORMATION

Date complaint/petition filed: [__/__/____]

Date defendant(s) served: [__/__/____]

Answer deadline (30 days after service — Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-821): [__/__/____]

Estimated discovery completion date: [__/__/____]

Estimated trial readiness date: [__/__/____]

Estimated trial length: [____] days

Progression standards (Neb. Ct. R. § 6-1104):
Under Nebraska's case progression standards, civil cases should be disposed of within:

• 18 months from filing for standard cases
• 12 months from filing for expedited cases

SECTION 12: SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS AND DESIGNATIONS

Interpreter needed: ☐ Yes ☐ No
If yes, language: [________________________________]

ADA accommodation needed: ☐ Yes ☐ No
If yes, describe: [________________________________]

Sealed or confidential filing: ☐ Yes ☐ No
If yes, statutory basis: [________________________________]

Does this case involve a minor? ☐ Yes ☐ No
If yes, has a next friend or guardian ad litem been appointed? ☐ Yes ☐ No

Does this case involve a constitutional challenge to a Nebraska statute?
☐ Yes — Notice to Attorney General required (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-21,155)
☐ No

Medical Malpractice / Hospital Liability Act claim?
☐ Yes — Panel review completed per Neb. Rev. Stat. § 44-2840 et seq.
☐ Yes — Claimant affirmatively waived panel review and completed the Director-service step under § 44-2840(4)
☐ Coverage or route unresolved — do not file until counsel completes the analysis
☐ Not applicable

Note: Section 44-2840 applies its panel route to claims against health care providers covered by the Act, and the claimant may affirmatively waive panel review. Determine coverage and complete the selected route before filing.

Class Action:
☐ Yes — Filed under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-319 et seq.
☐ No

SECTION 13: ATTORNEY CERTIFICATION AND SIGNATURE

I certify that the information provided on this Civil Cover Sheet is true and correct to the best of my knowledge, information, and belief, formed after reasonable inquiry. I understand that this cover sheet facilitates proper case classification within the Nebraska JUSTICE case management system and does not replace any required pleadings.

Date: [__/__/____]

_____________________________________________
Signature

_____________________________________________
Printed Name

Nebraska Bar Number: [________________]

Firm: [________________________________]

Address: [________________________________]

City, State, ZIP: [________________________________]

Telephone: [________________________________]

Email: [________________________________]

SECTION 14: E-FILING INSTRUCTIONS

Nebraska JUSTICE System — Electronic Filing

1. Portal: Access at https://www.nebraska.gov/justice/ or through the Nebraska Judicial Branch website
2. Account: Register for a JUSTICE e-filing account; attorneys must link their Nebraska Bar number
3. Case Initiation: Select "District Court" as the court level, choose the county, and select the appropriate case type (CI for civil)
4. Cover Sheet: Complete the electronic case information fields during the e-filing workflow; upload this paper form as a supplemental document if required by local rules
5. Filing Fees: Pay electronically via credit/debit card or approved payment method; the $89.00 standard civil filing fee will be assessed automatically
6. Document Format: Upload all documents in PDF format
7. Service: Electronic service on registered parties is available through the JUSTICE system
8. Confirmation: Retain the electronic confirmation receipt; the case number will be assigned upon clerk acceptance

Mandatory E-Filing: E-filing is available in all Nebraska counties through the JUSTICE system. Check with the local clerk of the district court regarding whether e-filing is mandatory or optional in your county.

Filing by Mail: For paper filings, send the complaint, summons, cover sheet, and filing fee to:

Clerk of the District Court
[________________________________] County Courthouse
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Clerk of the District Court Contact:

County of [________________________________]

Address: [________________________________]

Telephone: [________________________________]

Hours: [________________________________]

PRACTITIONER NOTES

1. JUSTICE Case Management System: Nebraska uses the JUSTICE (Judicial User System to Improve Court Efficiency) system statewide for case management and electronic filing. Case type codes entered in the system determine case tracking and judicial assignment.

2. Concurrent Jurisdiction ($70,000 Threshold): County Court and District Court have concurrent jurisdiction over civil cases involving $70,000 or less (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-517). District Court has exclusive jurisdiction for civil cases exceeding $70,000 and for all equity cases regardless of amount.

3. Small Claims Court: Claims of $5,800 or less may be filed in Small Claims Court (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2802). Attorneys may not represent parties in Small Claims Court.

4. Medical Review Panel or Waiver: For each Act-covered defendant, record either completed panel review or the claimant's affirmative waiver and complaint-service step. Do not assume the Act applies merely because the claim concerns medical care.

5. Statute of Limitations — Common Actions:
   - Residual noncontract injury to rights not otherwise enumerated: 4 years (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-207(3)); do not apply this row to a more-specific personal-injury category
   - Contract (written): 5 years (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-205(1))
   - Contract (oral): 4 years (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-206)
   - Taking, detaining, or injuring personal property: 4 years (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-207(2)); classify real-property and more-specific claims separately
   - Covered Medical Malpractice: 2 years from the act or omission; a limited 1-year discovery route when the claim was not and could not reasonably have been discovered within 2 years; 10-year outside period (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 44-2828)
   - Fraud: 4 years from discovery, subject to § 25-207(4)'s stated exceptions
   - Products Liability: 4 years, 10-year repose (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-224)

6. Answer Deadline: Under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-821, the defendant must answer within 30 days of service. If served by publication, the answer deadline is 30 days after the last publication.

7. Six-Person Jury Default: Nebraska uses 6-person juries in civil cases by default (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-1105). A party may request a 12-person jury, but this is not automatic.

8. Dispute Resolution Fee: The $0.75 dispute resolution fee collected with every filing supports the Nebraska Office of Dispute Resolution, which provides mediation services throughout the state.

9. Fee Waiver: Under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2301, a party may file a Poverty Affidavit to proceed in forma pauperis. The court reviews the affidavit and determines whether fees should be waived, reduced, or deferred.

10. Douglas County (4th District) and Lancaster County (3rd District): These urban districts handle the highest volume of civil cases and have the most developed local rules, including specific procedures for complex litigation, business disputes, and case management.

11. Case Progression Standards: Under Neb. Ct. R. § 6-1104, Nebraska has adopted case progression standards requiring disposition of most civil cases within 18 months of filing. Courts monitor compliance and may issue show-cause orders for delayed cases.

SOURCES AND REFERENCES

• Nebraska Filing Fees and Court Costs — nebraskajudicial.gov/filing-fees
• Nebraska Revised Statutes, Chapter 25 (Courts; Civil Procedure) — nebraskalegislature.gov
• Nebraska Court Rules, Chapter 6 (Trial Courts) — nebraskalegislature.gov
• Nebraska JUSTICE System — nebraska.gov/justice
• Nebraska Office of Dispute Resolution — nebraskajudicial.gov
• Douglas County District Court — dc4dc.com
• Nebraska Hospital-Medical Liability Act (§ 44-2840 et seq.) — nebraskalegislature.gov