The court or judge, for good cause, may appoint a person, corporation, partnership, or limited liability company to serve a particular process or order which person or entity shall have the same power to execute it which the sheriff has. The person or entity may be appointed on the motion of the party obtaining the process or order, and the return must be verified by affidavit. Such appointment may be made in the form of a general order of the court for the purpose of service of process or orders which may be sought by the movant. The person or entity shall be entitled to the fees allowed to the sheriff for similar services.
§ 25-2203.Process; special process server; return; appointed on motion; fees.
Article 22: Process, Court Records, and Ministerial Officers · Last amended 1994 · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceThis section lets a court or judge appoint a person, corporation, partnership, or limited liability company to serve a particular process for good cause, gives that appointee the sheriff’s own power to execute it, requires a verified return, and entitles the appointee to the sheriff’s standard fees.
Full Text of § 25-2203
Source
R.S.1867, Code § 882, p. 547; R.S.1913, § 8551; C.S.1922, § 9502; C.S.1929, § 20-2203; R.S.1943, § 25-2203; Laws 1994, LB 1224, § 38.
Plain-English Summary
Section 25-2203 opens the door to service by someone other than the sheriff. On a showing of good cause, a court or judge may appoint a person, corporation, partnership, or limited liability company to serve a particular process or order. Once appointed, that appointee has the same power to execute the process that the sheriff would have had.
The party who obtained the process or order is the one who moves for the appointment, and the appointee’s return of service must be verified by affidavit — a step that substitutes for the built-in reliability that comes with a sheriff’s official return. The court is not limited to one-off appointments, either: it may enter a general order authorizing service of process or orders the movant may seek in the future, rather than appointing a special server case by case. Whoever ends up serving process under this section is entitled to the same fees the sheriff would collect for similar work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can be appointed as a special process server in Nebraska?
A person, corporation, partnership, or limited liability company, appointed by the court or judge on a showing of good cause.
Can a business entity serve process instead of an individual?
Yes. Section 25-2203 names corporations, partnerships, and limited liability companies alongside individuals as eligible appointees.
Who asks the court to appoint a special process server?
The party who obtained the process or order moves for the appointment.
Does the special process server’s return need to be verified?
Yes. The return must be verified by affidavit.
Can a court authorize special service in advance, rather than appointing someone for each new process?
Yes. The appointment may take the form of a general order for the purpose of serving process or orders the movant may seek later.
What fees does a specially appointed process server collect?
The same fees allowed to the sheriff for similar services.
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: special process server nebraskaprivate process server appointmentgood cause special serviceverified return affidavit serviceprocess server fees nebraska