If a cause of action accrues against a person while he or she is out of the state or has absconded or concealed himself or herself, the period limited for the commencement of the action shall not begin to run (1) until he or she comes into the state or (2) while he or she is absconded or concealed. If the person departs from the state or absconds or conceals himself or herself after the cause of action accrues, the time of his or her absence or concealment shall not be computed as any part of the period within which the action must be brought.
§ 25-214.Actions against absconding or absent debtor.
Article 2: Limitation of Actions · Last amended 2006 · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceThis section pauses the statute of limitations against a defendant who is out of Nebraska, has absconded, or has concealed themselves when a cause of action accrues, and excludes any later period of absence or concealment from the time counted toward the deadline.
Full Text of § 25-214
Source
R.S.1867, Code § 20, p. 396; R.S.1913, § 7577; C.S.1922, § 8520; C.S.1929, § 20-214; R.S.1943, § 25-214; Laws 2006, LB 1115, § 8.
Plain-English Summary
Where section 25-213 protects a plaintiff who couldn’t act because of their own condition, section 25-214 addresses a defendant who makes themselves unreachable. If a cause of action accrues while the person who’d be sued is out of the state, or has absconded or concealed themselves, the limitations clock doesn’t start running until they come back into Nebraska, or while the absconding or concealment continues.
The section also covers the defendant who was present and reachable when the claim arose but later leaves, absconds, or hides. In that situation, the time spent absent or concealed doesn’t count as part of the limitations period — the clock effectively pauses for as long as the defendant stays gone or hidden, then resumes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if the person I want to sue leaves Nebraska before I can file?
If they left, absconded, or concealed themselves after the cause of action accrued, the time they spent absent or concealed doesn’t count toward the limitations period — it’s excluded from the clock.
Does hiding from service pause the statute of limitations?
Yes. Concealment operates the same way as absconding or leaving the state under this section — the period of concealment isn’t counted against the plaintiff’s deadline.
What if the defendant was already out of state when the claim first arose?
The limitations period doesn’t begin running at all until the person comes into the state, or it runs only during any time they aren’t absconded or concealed.
How is this different from the tolling in section 25-213?
Section 25-213 tolls the clock based on the plaintiff’s own condition — age, mental disorder, or imprisonment. Section 25-214 instead addresses the defendant’s absence, absconding, or concealment, pausing the clock for a different reason entirely.
Does this apply to every type of civil claim under Chapter 25?
The section applies generally to a cause of action accruing against a person who is out of the state, absconded, or concealed, without limiting itself to a particular category of claim.
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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