All actions upon a liability created by a federal statute, other than a forfeiture or penalty, for which actions no period of limitations is provided in such statute shall be commenced within three years next after the cause of action shall have accrued.
§ 25-219.Actions upon liability created by federal statute.
Article 2: Limitation of Actions · Last amended 1943 · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceThis section sets a three-year deadline for actions on a liability created by a federal statute, other than a forfeiture or penalty, when the federal statute itself doesn’t specify a limitations period.
Full Text of § 25-219
Source
Laws 1943, c. 49, § 1, p. 200; R.S.1943, § 25-219.
Plain-English Summary
Federal statutes sometimes create a right to sue without saying how long a plaintiff has to bring the claim. Section 25-219 fills that gap for actions brought in Nebraska courts: any action on a liability created by a federal statute, other than a forfeiture or penalty, must be commenced within three years after the cause of action accrues, if the federal statute leaves the question open.
The three-year period only comes into play when the federal law is silent. If Congress specified its own limitations period for the claim, that federal period controls instead, and this section has no role to play.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if a federal law gives me a right to sue but doesn’t say how long I have?
Section 25-219 fills that gap, giving three years after the cause of action accrues for an action on a liability created by federal statute, other than a forfeiture or penalty.
Does this section apply if the federal statute already sets its own deadline?
No. Section 25-219 applies only where the federal statute provides no period of limitations for the action.
Does the three-year period cover federal penalties or forfeitures?
No. The section excludes actions for a forfeiture or penalty from its three-year deadline.
How does this compare to the four-year deadline for state statutory liabilities in section 25-206?
Section 25-206 gives four years for a liability created by a state statute, other than a forfeiture or penalty. Section 25-219 gives a shorter three years for the same category of liability when it’s created by a federal statute instead, if that federal statute doesn’t specify its own period.
When does the three-year period start running?
It runs from when the cause of action accrues under the federal statute creating the liability.
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 federal statutory liability deadlinethree year deadline federal statute nebraskafederal law no limitations period nebraskasuing under federal statute nebraska courtliability created by federal statute