The publication shall be made once in each week for three successive weeks in some newspaper printed in the county where the complaint is filed if there is any printed in such county and, if there is not, in some newspaper printed in this state of general circulation in that county. It shall contain a summary statement of the claim for relief of the complaint, mention the court wherein it is filed, and notify the person or persons thus to be served when they are required to answer.
§ 25-519.Service by publication; how made; contents.
Article 5: Commencement of Actions and Service of Process · Last amended 2002 · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceThis section spells out the mechanics of service by publication: run the notice weekly for three successive weeks in a qualifying newspaper, and include a summary of the claim, the court where the case is filed, and the deadline to answer.
Full Text of § 25-519
Source
R.S.1867, Code § 79, p. 405; R.S.1913, § 7642; C.S.1922, § 8585; C.S.1929, § 20-519; R.S.1943, § 25-519; Laws 1971, LB 47, § 1; Laws 1996, LB 299, § 19; Laws 2002, LB 876, § 16.
Cross References
Plain-English Summary
Once publication is authorized, section 25-519 tells you exactly how to do it. The notice has to run once a week for three successive weeks in a newspaper printed in the county where the complaint was filed, if one exists there. If no newspaper is printed in that county, a newspaper of general circulation in the county, printed elsewhere in Nebraska, will do instead.
Content matters as much as timing. The published notice has to include a summary statement of the claim for relief made in the complaint, name the court where the case is filed, and tell the person or persons being served when they are required to answer. A publication that runs the right number of times in the wrong kind of newspaper, or that skips one of these required pieces of content, falls short of what the section demands.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many times does a publication notice have to run in Nebraska?
Once a week for three successive weeks.
Which newspaper qualifies for publishing the notice?
A newspaper printed in the county where the complaint is filed, if one exists. If none is printed there, a newspaper of general circulation in that county, printed elsewhere in the state, may be used.
What has to be in the published notice?
A summary statement of the claim for relief in the complaint, the name of the court where the case is filed, and notice of when the person being served must answer.
Can I use any newspaper that circulates in the county even if it is printed elsewhere?
Only if no newspaper is printed in the county itself; otherwise, a newspaper printed in that county is required.
Where is the general rule authorizing publication in the first place?
Section 25-518.01 states when publication is available; this section governs how it must be carried out once authorized.
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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