When a trial by jury has been had, judgment must be ordered by the court and entered upon the record in conformity to the verdict, unless it is special, or the court orders the case to be reserved for future argument or consideration.
§ 25-1313.Jury trial; judgment by court; entry of order.
Article 13: Judgments · Last amended 2020 · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceThis section requires the court to order judgment on a jury verdict and enter it in conformity with that verdict, unless the verdict is special or the court reserves the case for further argument or consideration.
Full Text of § 25-1313
Source
R.S.1867, Code § 438, p. 467; R.S.1913, § 8006; C.S.1922, § 8947; C.S.1929, § 20-1313; R.S.1943, § 25-1313; Laws 1961, c. 111, § 3, p. 350; Laws 2020, LB387, § 39.
Plain-English Summary
After a jury returns a general verdict, entering judgment is not left to the winning party’s initiative — it is the court’s job. Section 25-1313 requires that when a trial by jury has been had, judgment must be ordered by the court and entered upon the record in conformity to the verdict. The court follows what the jury decided rather than substituting its own view of the outcome.
Two situations pull the court out of that default path. If the verdict is special — meaning the jury answered specific factual questions rather than delivering a general verdict — entering judgment is not automatic in the same way, and § 25-1314 addresses what the court does in that circumstance. And if the court orders the case reserved for future argument or consideration, judgment on the verdict waits until that further proceeding happens.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a court have discretion to enter a different judgment than what the jury decided?
No, not in the ordinary case. Section 25-1313 requires the court to order judgment and enter it in conformity with the verdict, except where the verdict is special or the court has reserved the case.
What is the difference between a general verdict and a special verdict for purposes of this section?
A general verdict triggers the ordinary rule that judgment must conform to it. A special verdict — where the jury answers specific factual questions — is instead handled under § 25-1314, which lets the court order what judgment shall be entered.
What does it mean for a court to “reserve” a case?
It means the court orders that entry of judgment wait for future argument or consideration, rather than entering judgment immediately in conformity with the verdict.
Who is responsible for making sure judgment gets entered after a jury verdict?
The court. Section 25-1313 places the duty on the court to order the judgment and see that it is entered on the record.
How does this section relate to a motion for directed verdict?
Sections 25-1315.01 through 25-1315.03 address directed verdicts and post-verdict motions separately; § 25-1313 addresses the ordinary entry of judgment once a jury has returned a general verdict.
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: judgment on jury verdict nebraskaentering judgment after verdictspecial verdict vs general verdictreserved case jury trial