The purpose of sections 25-1154 to 25-1157 is to provide an alternate dispute resolution technique, to be known as the summary jury trial, for use by the parties to civil court actions. The Legislature finds that the procedures set forth in such sections will save valuable court and juror resources, promote prompt resolution of disputes, and increase settlement of disputed actions prior to a jury trial. The Legislature declares that courts should liberally construe such sections and employ summary jury trials in appropriate civil actions to effectuate the purposes and findings set forth in this section.
§ 25-1154.Legislative purpose and findings.
Article 11: Trial · Last amended 1987 · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceThis section explains why Nebraska created the summary jury trial — an alternate dispute resolution tool meant to save court and juror resources and encourage settlement — and directs courts to construe the sections that follow liberally and use the tool in appropriate civil actions.
Full Text of § 25-1154
Source
Laws 1987, LB 225, § 1.
Plain-English Summary
A summary jury trial is a shortened, non-binding mock trial that gives the parties in a civil case a preview of how a jury might see their dispute, without the time and expense of a full trial. Section 25-1154 opens the four-section subpart that creates this tool by stating the Legislature’s purpose plainly: sections 25-1154 through 25-1157 exist to provide this alternate dispute resolution technique for civil court actions.
The Legislature backs that purpose with specific findings. It states that the summary jury trial procedure saves court and juror resources, promotes prompt resolution of disputes, and increases settlement of contested actions before they reach a full jury trial. Building on those findings, the section instructs courts to construe sections 25-1154 through 25-1157 liberally and to employ summary jury trials in appropriate civil actions to carry out these purposes.
That instruction matters for how the sections that follow — covering when a summary jury trial can be granted, how it is conducted, and what becomes of the verdict — should be read. A court weighing a close question about scope or procedure under those sections has this stated legislative preference for liberal use to draw on.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a summary jury trial in Nebraska?
It is an alternate dispute resolution technique created by §§ 25-1154 to 25-1157 for civil actions, designed as a shortened process to help parties gauge how a jury might view their case.
Why did the Nebraska Legislature create the summary jury trial procedure?
The Legislature found that it saves court and juror resources, promotes prompt resolution of disputes, and increases settlement of actions before a full jury trial.
Are courts supposed to read these sections narrowly or broadly?
Broadly. Section 25-1154 directs courts to liberally construe §§ 25-1154 to 25-1157 and to use summary jury trials in appropriate civil actions.
Does this section itself set out how a summary jury trial works?
No. It states the purpose and legislative findings behind the procedure; §§ 25-1155 through 25-1157 cover how a summary jury trial is granted, conducted, and used.
Is a summary jury trial available in every type of case?
The statute directs courts to use the procedure in appropriate civil actions, which leaves the specific fit of a given case to the court’s judgment under the sections that follow.
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
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