No action shall be maintained against the sureties in any bond given by a guardian unless it be commenced within four years from the time when the guardian shall have been discharged; Provided, if at the time of such discharge the person entitled to bring such action shall be out of the state, or under any legal disability to sue, the action may be commenced at any time within five years after the return of such person to the state, or after such disability shall be removed.
§ 25-210.Actions against sureties on guardian's bond.
Article 2: Limitation of Actions · Not amended since original codification · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceThis section requires an action against the sureties on a guardian’s bond to be brought within four years of the guardian’s discharge, but extends that to five years after the person entitled to sue returns to Nebraska or their legal disability ends, if they were out of state or disabled at discharge.
Full Text of § 25-210
Source
R.S.1867, Code § 32, p. 185; R.S.1913, § 7572; C.S.1922, § 8515; C.S.1929, § 20-210; R.S.1943, § 25-210.
Plain-English Summary
Section 25-210 narrows in on a specific defendant: the sureties who backed a guardian’s bond, rather than the guardian personally. An action against those sureties has to be brought within four years of the date the guardian was discharged from their role — a clock distinct from the ten-year period section 25-209 sets for official bonds more generally.
The section builds in protection for a person who couldn’t reasonably have sued within that four-year window. If, at the time of the guardian’s discharge, the person entitled to bring the action was out of the state or under a legal disability, they instead get five years from the date they return to Nebraska, or from the date the disability is removed, whichever situation applies.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to sue the sureties on a guardian’s bond in Nebraska?
Four years from the date the guardian was discharged, under section 25-210.
What if I was living out of state when the guardian was discharged?
You get five years from the date you return to Nebraska, instead of the standard four years from discharge.
What if I was under a legal disability at the time of discharge?
You get five years from the date the disability is removed, rather than four years from the guardian’s discharge.
Is this different from the general ten-year bond deadline in section 25-209?
Yes. Section 25-209 gives ten years for actions on official bonds generally. Section 25-210 sets a more specific four-year deadline (or five years in the out-of-state or disability situations) that applies specifically to sureties on a guardian’s bond.
Does the four-year period run from when the guardian was appointed?
No. It runs from the guardian’s discharge, not from the appointment or from any earlier point in the guardianship.
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: nebraska guardian bond surety deadlinesue surety guardian bond nebraskafour year deadline guardian dischargeguardian bond statute of limitationsout of state extension guardian bond