Whenever an oath is required by this code, the affirmation of a person conscientiously scrupulous of taking an oath, shall have the same effect.
§ 25-2220.Oaths and affirmations.
Article 22: Process, Court Records, and Ministerial Officers · Not amended since original codification · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceThis section gives an affirmation the same legal effect as an oath whenever the Code requires an oath, for anyone conscientiously scrupulous about swearing one.
Full Text of § 25-2220
Source
R.S.1867, Code § 894, p. 549; R.S.1913, § 8569; C.S.1922, § 9520; C.S.1929, § 20-2221; R.S.1943, § 25-2220.
Plain-English Summary
Section 25-2220 accommodates people who object, on conscience, to swearing an oath. Wherever the Code requires an oath, the affirmation of a person conscientiously scrupulous of taking an oath has the same effect. So a witness, affiant, or party who affirms instead of swears meets an oath requirement just as fully as someone who swears in the traditional form.
The section does not spell out a particular form of words for the affirmation, and it does not set a procedure for determining who qualifies as conscientiously scrupulous. It establishes that, once that description fits a person, their affirmation stands in for an oath everywhere the Code calls for one.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if someone objects to swearing an oath for reasons of conscience?
They may affirm instead, and section 25-2220 gives that affirmation the same effect as an oath.
Does an affirmation carry the same legal weight as an oath under the Code?
Yes, for a person conscientiously scrupulous of taking an oath.
Does this section set out how to determine whether someone qualifies as conscientiously scrupulous?
No. The statute states the equivalence of oath and affirmation without prescribing a procedure for that determination.
Does this apply to every oath the Code requires, or only some of them?
The section applies “whenever an oath is required by this code,” so it reaches oath requirements generally rather than a specific one.
Does the statute specify particular wording for an affirmation?
No. It establishes the affirmation’s legal effect without dictating specific language.
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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