A copy of any foreign judgment authenticated in accordance with the act of Congress or the statutes of this state may be filed on or after January 1, 1994, in the office of the clerk of any court of this state having jurisdiction of such action. The clerk shall treat the foreign judgment in the same manner as a judgment of a court of this state. A judgment so filed has the same effect and is subject to the same procedures, defenses, and proceedings for reopening, vacating, or staying as a judgment of a court of this state and may be enforced or satisfied in like manner.
§ 25-1587.03.Filing and status of foreign judgments.
Article 15: Execution, Exemptions, and Foreign Judgments · Last amended 1993 · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceSection 25-1587.03 lets a judgment creditor file an authenticated copy of a foreign judgment with the clerk of a Nebraska court that has jurisdiction, after which the clerk treats it as a Nebraska judgment with the same effect, defenses, and enforcement procedures, including how it may be reopened, vacated, or stayed.
Full Text of § 25-1587.03
Source
Laws 1993, LB 458, § 3.
Plain-English Summary
Section 25-1587.03 supplies the core mechanic of the Nebraska Uniform Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act. A judgment creditor holding a foreign judgment, one authenticated under the applicable act of Congress or Nebraska statute, can file a copy of it, on or after January 1, 1994, with the clerk of any Nebraska court that would have jurisdiction over the underlying action. The clerk then treats the foreign judgment the same way it would treat a judgment entered by that Nebraska court.
Once filed, the judgment carries the same legal effect as a Nebraska judgment. It is subject to the same procedures, the same defenses, and the same proceedings for reopening, vacating, or staying that would apply to a Nebraska judgment, and it can be enforced or satisfied the same way. For a judgment creditor, this section replaces the need to file a whole new lawsuit to collect an out-of-state judgment in Nebraska with a filing step.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a creditor use this section to enforce an out-of-state judgment in Nebraska?
By filing an authenticated copy of the foreign judgment with the clerk of a Nebraska court that has jurisdiction over the underlying action.
What does the clerk do once the foreign judgment is filed?
Treats it the same way as a judgment entered by that Nebraska court.
What legal effect does the filed foreign judgment have?
The same effect as a Nebraska judgment, including the same procedures, defenses, and proceedings for reopening, vacating, or staying it, and the same means of enforcement.
Since when has this filing method been available?
Filings under this section have been permitted on or after January 1, 1994.
Does filing under this section require suing the debtor again in Nebraska?
No. Filing an authenticated copy with the clerk substitutes for bringing a new lawsuit to domesticate the judgment.
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: registering out of state judgment nebraskadomesticating sister state judgment nebraskafiling foreign judgment with clerkenforcing out of state money judgment nebraska