§ 25-1650.Jurors; qualifications; disqualifications; excused or exempt, when.
Article 16: Jurors and Jury Selection · Last amended 2020 · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceThis section sets the baseline qualifications for Nebraska jurors, lists who is disqualified — including judges, court clerks, sheriffs, jailers, parties or spouses of parties to pending suits, and unpardoned felons — and describes the excusal and exemption paths for physical or mental disability, nursing mothers, active-duty service members, hardship, and jurors seventy or older.
Full Text of § 25-1650
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(1) All citizens of the United States residing in any of the counties of this state who are over the age of nineteen years, able to read, speak, and understand the English language, and free from all disqualifications set forth under this section and from all other legal exceptions are qualified to serve on all grand and petit juries in their respective counties. Persons disqualified to serve as either grand or petit jurors are: (a) Judges of any court, (b) clerks of the Supreme or district courts, (c) sheriffs, (d) jailers, (e) persons, or the spouse of any such persons, who are parties to suits pending in the county of his, her, or their residence for trial to that jury panel, (f) persons who have been convicted of a felony when such conviction has not been set aside or a pardon issued, and (g) persons who are subject to liability for the commission of any offense which by special provision of law disqualifies them. Spouses shall not serve as jurors on the same panel. Persons who are incapable, by reason of physical or mental disability, of rendering satisfactory jury service shall not be qualified to serve on a jury, but a person claiming this disqualification shall be required to submit a physician's certificate as to the disability and the certifying physician is subject to inquiry by the court at its discretion. A nursing mother who requests to be excused shall be excused from jury service until she is no longer nursing her child, but the mother shall be required to submit a physician's certificate in support of her request. A person who is serving on active duty as a member of the United States Armed Forces who requests to be exempt shall be exempt from jury service, but such person shall be required to submit documentation of his or her active-duty status in support of his or her request.
(2) The district court or any judge thereof may exercise the power of excusing any grand or petit juror or any person summoned for grand or petit jury service upon a showing of undue hardship, extreme inconvenience, or public necessity for such period as the court deems necessary. At the conclusion of such period the person shall reappear for jury service in accordance with the court's direction. All excuses and the grounds for such excuses shall be entered upon the record of the court. In districts having more than one judge of the district court, the court may by rule or order assign or delegate to the presiding judge or any one or more judges the sole authority to grant such excuses.
(3) No qualified potential juror is exempt from jury service, except that any person seventy years of age or older who makes a request to be exempt to the court at the time the juror qualification form is filed with the jury commissioner or who makes such a request in writing after being qualified and summoned shall be exempt from serving on grand and petit juries.
(4) A physician's certificate or other documentation or information submitted by a person in support of a claim of disqualification by reason of physical or mental disability or due to such person's status as a nursing mother is not a public record as defined in section 84-712.01 and is not subject to disclosure under sections 84-712 to 84-712.09.
Source
R.S.1867, Code § 657, p. 509; Laws 1911, c. 171, § 1, p. 548; R.S.1913, § 8135; Laws 1917, c. 139, § 1, p. 325; C.S.1922, § 9071; C.S.1929, § 20-1601; Laws 1939, c. 18, § 1, p. 98; C.S.Supp.,1941, § 20-1601; Laws 1943, c. 45, § 1, p. 191; R.S.1943, § 25-1601; Laws 1953, c. 72, § 1, p. 224; Laws 1955, c. 90, § 1, p. 264; Laws 1959, c. 106, § 1, p. 433; Laws 1959, c. 143, § 1, p. 551; Laws 1969, c. 189, § 1, p. 780; Laws 1979, LB 234, § 2; Laws 1980, LB 733, § 1; Laws 1985, LB 113, § 1; Laws 1993, LB 31, § 2; Laws 2003, LB 19, § 3; R.S.1943, (2016), § 25-1601; Laws 2020, LB387, § 7.
Cross References
For exemption of National Guard, see section 55-173.
Plain-English Summary
Section 25-1650 sets the floor for who may serve on a Nebraska grand or petit jury. A qualified juror is a United States citizen residing in one of Nebraska’s counties, over nineteen years old, able to read, speak, and understand English, and free of the disqualifications the section lists: judges of any court, clerks of the Supreme or district courts, sheriffs, jailers, a party (or that party’s spouse) to a suit pending for trial to that jury panel in the county of residence, anyone convicted of a felony whose conviction has not been set aside or pardoned, and anyone otherwise disqualified by a special statutory provision. Spouses may not serve on the same panel.
Beyond the fixed disqualifications, the section builds in ways to be excused. A person unable, because of physical or mental disability, to render satisfactory jury service is not qualified, but must back that claim with a physician’s certificate the court may question. A nursing mother who requests to be excused must be excused until she is no longer nursing, again with a supporting physician’s certificate. A member of the United States Armed Forces on active duty who requests exemption must be exempted, on submission of documentation of that status. Beyond those specific paths, the district court or any judge may excuse a grand or petit juror, or anyone summoned for jury service, on a showing of undue hardship, extreme inconvenience, or public necessity, for whatever period the court finds necessary, with the excuse and its grounds entered on the court record; in multi-judge districts, the court may assign this authority to the presiding judge or particular judges.
No qualified potential juror is otherwise exempt from service, with one age-based exception: a person seventy or older who asks to be exempt — either when filing the juror qualification form with the jury commissioner, or in writing after being qualified and summoned — must be exempted from grand and petit jury service. And the section protects the paperwork behind a disability, nursing-mother, or similar claim: a physician’s certificate or other supporting documentation is not a public record under § 84-712.01 and is not subject to disclosure under §§ 84-712 to 84-712.09. A related exemption for members of the National Guard appears at § 55-173.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is automatically disqualified from jury service in Nebraska?
Judges of any court, clerks of the Supreme or district courts, sheriffs, jailers, a party or spouse of a party to a suit pending for trial to that jury panel in the county of residence, anyone with an unpardoned felony conviction that has not been set aside, and anyone else disqualified by a special statutory provision.
Can spouses serve on the same jury panel?
No. Section 25-1650 states that spouses shall not serve as jurors on the same panel.
How does a nursing mother get excused from jury service?
She must request to be excused and submit a physician’s certificate. Once excused, she remains excused until she is no longer nursing her child.
Does active-duty military service exempt someone from jury duty?
Yes, if the service member requests the exemption and submits documentation of active-duty status with the United States Armed Forces.
What is the age-70 exemption, and how do I claim it?
A person seventy or older may request an exemption from grand and petit jury service, either when filing the juror qualification form with the jury commissioner or in writing after being qualified and summoned.
Are physician’s certificates submitted to claim a jury exemption public records?
No. Section 25-1650 states that such certificates and supporting documentation are not public records under § 84-712.01 and are not subject to disclosure under §§ 84-712 to 84-712.09.
Is there a separate exemption for National Guard members?
Yes. Section 55-173, cross-referenced in this section, addresses exemption of National Guard members.
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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