The officer to whom a writ of execution is delivered shall proceed immediately to levy the same upon the goods and chattels of the debtor; but if no goods and chattels can be found, the officer shall endorse on the writ of execution no goods, and forthwith levy the writ of execution upon the lands and tenements of the debtor, which may be liable to satisfy the judgment.
§ 25-1518.Levy of execution.
Article 15: Execution, Exemptions, and Foreign Judgments · Not amended since original codification · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceThis section requires the officer holding a writ of execution to levy immediately on the debtor’s goods and chattels, and only if none can be found does the officer endorse “no goods” on the writ and move promptly to levy on the debtor’s lands and tenements.
Full Text of § 25-1518
Source
R.S.1867, Code § 485, p. 474; R.S.1913, § 8059; C.S.1922, § 9000; C.S.1929, § 20-1518; R.S.1943, § 25-1518.
Cross References
Execution against partnership or unincorporated associations, see section 25-316.
Plain-English Summary
Section 25-1518 sets the order of operations for an officer carrying out a writ of execution. The officer to whom the writ is delivered has to proceed immediately to levy it on the goods and chattels of the debtor — personal property comes first, without delay. That immediacy requirement keeps executions from sitting unenforced once delivered.
Real estate only enters the picture as a fallback. If no goods and chattels can be found to satisfy the judgment, the officer endorses on the writ that there are no goods, and forthwith levies on the lands and tenements of the debtor that may be liable to satisfy the judgment. That “no goods” endorsement is the documented trigger that justifies moving from personal property to real estate, consistent with the same goods-first sequence set out in Section 25-1516 for the writ’s own commands.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the sheriff have to try to seize personal property before real estate?
Yes. Section 25-1518 requires the officer to proceed immediately to levy on the debtor’s goods and chattels first.
What does the “no goods” endorsement on a writ mean?
It is the officer’s notation, made when no goods or chattels can be found to satisfy the judgment, that documents the shift to levying on the debtor’s lands and tenements instead.
What happens if the debtor has no personal property worth levying on?
The officer endorses “no goods” on the writ and proceeds forthwith to levy on the debtor’s real estate that may be liable to satisfy the judgment.
Is there a deadline for the officer to act after receiving the writ?
The section requires the officer to proceed immediately to levy on goods and chattels, and forthwith to reach real estate once no goods are found, both signaling prompt action rather than delay.
How does this section relate to the levy procedure in Section 25-1516?
Both sections establish the same sequence — personal property before real estate — with Section 25-1516 governing the writ’s content and service, and this section governing how the officer carries out the levy.
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: levy order goods before land nebraskano goods endorsement writ of executionsheriff levy procedure executionimmediate levy personal property debtorwhen does sheriff levy real estate