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§ 25-2309.Satisfaction of costs; when.

Article 23: Costs in In Forma Pauperis Proceedings · Last amended 1999 · Last verified July 22, 2026

In one sentenceProvides that if an in forma pauperis litigant wins the case, any costs the court deferred under this article get paid first out of whatever money satisfies the resulting judgment.

Full Text of § 25-2309

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In the event any person prosecutes or defends a case in forma pauperis successfully, any and all cost deferred by the court under sections 25-2301 to 25-2310 shall be first satisfied out of any money paid in satisfaction of judgment.

Source

Laws 1972, LB 1120, § 9; Laws 1999, LB 689, § 11.

Plain-English Summary

Proceeding in forma pauperis defers costs; it does not erase them once a litigant prevails. Section 25-2309 states that when a person prosecutes or defends a case in forma pauperis successfully, any costs deferred under Sections 25-2301 to 25-2310 are satisfied first, out of any money paid to satisfy the resulting judgment.

In practice, a winning litigant’s recovery reimburses the county, or whoever advanced the deferred costs, before the litigant keeps the rest of the judgment proceeds.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I win my in forma pauperis case, do I still owe the deferred court costs?

Yes, but they are satisfied out of the judgment proceeds first, rather than billed to you separately.

What does “first satisfied” mean here?

Deferred costs get paid from the judgment money before the litigant keeps the remainder.

Does this section apply if I lose my case?

The section addresses success — prosecuting or defending the case successfully — and does not itself set a repayment mechanism for a losing outcome.

Which costs does this section reach?

Any costs deferred by the court under Sections 25-2301 to 25-2310.

Who benefits from this reimbursement mechanism?

Effectively the county, or whichever body advanced the deferred costs, recouped from the litigant’s judgment proceeds.

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: ifp costs repaid from judgmentdeferred court costs satisfaction nebraskawinning ifp case reimbursementnebraska ifp judgment costs