Nebraska
Divorce, lawyers, and free legal help in Nebraska — verified against official sources.
How divorce filing works in Nebraska
The Nebraska Judicial Branch runs a divorce self-help page with step-by-step guidance for a simple divorce with no children. Start there before anything else.
Nebraska Judicial Branch — Simple Divorce (No Children)
The court's own divorce self-help page with forms and step-by-step instructions.
supremecourt.nebraska.gov — divorce self-help →Find a divorce lawyer
Nebraska Find-a-Lawyer
The Nebraska State Bar Association's attorney directory; every listed attorney is a Bar member. First 30-minute consultation for $50 or less.
nefindalawyer.com →New to hiring a lawyer? Read Start Here first — it covers what to ask and what to bring.
Free or low-cost legal help
Legal Aid of Nebraska
The state's only statewide legal-aid provider, serving all 93 counties: (402) 348-1069.
legalaidofnebraska.org →Report Child Abuse or Neglect
Call (800) 652-1999 — Nebraska DHHS hotline. Online reporting at neabusehotline-dhhs.ne.gov. Nebraska is a universal mandatory-reporting state.
dhhs.ne.gov — child abuse hotline →Call 211
Free, confidential referrals to local help. Dial 211 from any phone.
211.org →Nebraska Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence
402-476-6256; statewide crisis line 1-877-215-0167.
nebraskacoalition.org →Unpaid wages in Nebraska
Your boss owes you pay and won't hand it over? Here's where to file and how long you have in Nebraska.
Where to go
Nebraska Department of Labor
Time limit to file
2 years (3 years if willful)
What the floor is
$15.00 (2026)
Changing your name in Nebraska
Whether it's marriage, divorce, or just time for a fresh start — here's the process in Nebraska.
How it works
petition the District Court in your county
Typical court fee
~$180 (Douglas County; may vary)
Newspaper notice required?
yes — waivable if safety is at risk
Small claims court in Nebraska
Suing someone without a lawyer, for smaller amounts, in a simpler court. Here's how it works in Nebraska.
Maximum claim
$7,500
Filing fee
about $26
Can you bring one?
no
Clearing your criminal record in Nebraska
Expungement or sealing can hide eligible arrests and convictions from background checks. Here's where Nebraska stands.
Can records be cleared?
very limited — no expungement of adult convictions
What qualifies
sealing for arrests/charges with no conviction; set-aside for probation/fine sentences
Waiting period
varies — 1–3 years for sealing non-conviction records
Learn more about clearing your criminal record in Nebraska →
Child support in Nebraska
How child support gets calculated — and when it ends — in Nebraska.
How it's figured
income shares (both parents' incomes combined) Nebraska Child Support Guidelines published by the Nebraska Judicial Branch (Neb. Ct. R. Article 2), with worksheet
When it ends
age 19
Lemon law in Nebraska
Bought a new car that's constantly in the shop? Nebraska's lemon law may get you a refund or a replacement.
Which vehicles qualify
new motor vehicles sold in Nebraska (vehicles under 2 years old under express warranty; motor homes excluded)
When it's legally a lemon
4+ repair attempts or 40+ days out of service during warranty term or first year
What you get
comparable replacement vehicle or refund of full purchase price
Tenant rights in Nebraska
Renting comes with rights most people never hear about until something goes wrong. Here are the key ones in Nebraska.
Notice before eviction
30 days to end month-to-month; 7-day notice to pay or quit for nonpayment
Deposit limits & return
1 month's rent maximum (plus up to 1/4 month pet deposit); returned within 14 days with an itemized list
When the landlord won't fix things
may procure essential services and deduct the reasonable cost after written notice
DUI / DWI in Nebraska
Driving under the influence carries some of the stiffest penalties in everyday law. Here's how Nebraska handles it.
Blood alcohol (BAC) limit
0.08; enhanced penalties at 0.15
Typical penalties
7-60 days in jail, $500 fine, 6-month license revocation
How far back DUIs count
15-year lookback
Gun laws in Nebraska
Gun laws vary a lot from state to state — what's perfectly legal in one state can be a crime in another. Here's the big picture for this state. Laws change often, so double-check anything before you act.
Carrying a concealed handgun
Permitless carry (no permit required since Sept 2023, age 21); optional shall-issue permit available
Carrying openly
Generally allowed without a permit
Background checks & waiting periods
Private sales: Required for handguns (buyer must have a Firearm Purchase Permit or Concealed Handgun Permit); not required for long guns No waiting period.
Extreme risk protection
No red flag law on the books here.
Reciprocity
Recognizes permits from states that recognize Nebraska permits.
Filming the police: your rights in Nebraska
Federal appeals courts across the country have recognized a First Amendment right to photograph and record police officers performing their official duties in public. The U.S. Supreme Court has not ruled on it directly. The right does not protect interfering with officers, trespassing, or breaking other laws while you record.
One-party consent
If you are part of a conversation, you may record it — including with police. (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 86-290(2)(c))
No buffer-zone law
Nebraska has no law setting a minimum distance for filming police. You still must not interfere with officers doing their jobs.
One-party consent state: a party to a conversation may record it without telling the others. A 2024 bill (LB1185) that would have required recorders to stay 10 feet from officers was 'indefinitely postponed' and never became law, so no buffer zone exists.
Drug & alcohol addiction help in Nebraska
Addiction is a health issue, and help is out there — including court programs that can send people to treatment instead of jail. No insurance needed to call.
SAMHSA National Helpline
Free, confidential referrals to treatment — call 1-800-662-4357 (English & Spanish).
Human trafficking victims in Nebraska
If you or someone you know is being forced to work or forced into sex against their will, you are a victim of a crime and help is available — immigration status does not matter.
National Human Trafficking Hotline
Call 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733 — free, confidential, for victims and anyone who suspects trafficking.
Bullying in Nebraska
Every state has an anti-bullying law, and every school must have a plan. If your child is being bullied, document what happens and report it in writing to the school — and know what your state’s law requires.
Homelessness help in Nebraska
If you are homeless or at risk of losing your housing, help is close by. Shelters, food, health care, and long-term housing programs exist in every community.
211 homeless services
Dial 211 and press 6 for homeless services in your area.
VA homeless veterans
Homeless veterans: call the VA National Call Center at 1-877-424-3838 (877-4AID-VET), 24/7.
Deed fraud & squatters in Nebraska
Thieves can forge a deed to steal your home’s title — many counties offer free recording alerts that notify you if anything is filed against your property. And if someone is living in your property without permission, your state has specific rules for removing them: you generally cannot just change the locks.
FBI: protect your property from deed fraud
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center alert on parcel-owner impersonation →