§ 25-537.Service outside state.

Article 5: Commencement of Actions and Service of Process · Last amended 1967 · Last verified July 22, 2026

In one sentenceSection 25-537 confirms that whenever §§ 25-535 to 25-541 authorize a Nebraska court to exercise personal jurisdiction over someone, service of process to bring that person into the case may be carried out outside Nebraska.

Full Text of § 25-537

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When the exercise of personal jurisdiction is authorized by sections 25-535 to 25-541, service may be made outside this state.

Source

Laws 1967, c. 143, § 3, p. 439.

Plain-English Summary

Personal jurisdiction and service of process are two different steps, and Section 25-537 links them for purposes of Nebraska’s long-arm statute. It is a short section with one job: once Section 25-536 authorizes a Nebraska court to exercise jurisdiction over a person, this section confirms that service does not have to happen inside Nebraska’s borders. Service may be made outside the state.

Without this authorization, a defendant could argue that Nebraska process has no force beyond the state line, no matter how solid the jurisdictional basis under Section 25-536 might be. Section 25-537 closes that gap. Section 25-540 then fills in the specific methods by which service outside Nebraska can be accomplished.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this section, by itself, tell a court whether it has jurisdiction over someone?

No. It assumes jurisdiction is authorized under Sections 25-535 to 25-541 and addresses only where service of process may occur once that authorization exists.

Can Nebraska service of process be made on someone living in another state?

Yes, when the exercise of personal jurisdiction is authorized under Sections 25-535 to 25-541, service may be made outside Nebraska.

What methods can be used to serve someone outside Nebraska?

Section 25-540 sets out the specific manners of service permitted outside the state; Section 25-537 only authorizes that out-of-state service in the first place.

Does this section apply to every lawsuit filed in Nebraska?

It applies specifically within the framework of Sections 25-535 to 25-541, Nebraska’s long-arm jurisdiction statute.

Why is a separate section needed just to say service can happen outside the state?

Jurisdiction over a person and the geographic reach of the state’s service process are distinct legal questions, and Section 25-537 removes any doubt that Nebraska process can reach a defendant beyond its borders once jurisdiction is properly established.

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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