All stipulations and private agreements or understandings of counsel or of parties to a suit, unless made in open court during the proceeding, must be reduced to writing and signed by the parties or counsel for the parties making the same.
§ 6-1404.Stipulations.
Article 14: Uniform County Court Rules of Practice and Procedure · Last amended January 1, 2022 · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceSection 6-1404 requires that any stipulation, agreement, or private understanding between counsel or parties be put in writing and signed unless it was made in open court during the proceeding itself.
Full Text of § 6-1404
Amendment History
§ 6-1404 amended June 9, 2021, effective January 1, 2022.
Plain-English Summary
Lawyers agree to things outside the record all the time — extending a deadline, narrowing an issue, agreeing to a fact so no one has to prove it. Section 6-1404 makes sure those agreements do not get lost or disputed later. Any stipulation or private agreement between counsel or the parties has to be reduced to writing and signed by the people making it, unless the agreement was made in open court during the proceeding, where it becomes part of the record another way.
The rule protects everyone involved from a fading memory or a change of heart. Once a stipulation is written down and signed, neither side can plausibly claim later that the deal was different, or that it never happened at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do lawyers have to put every agreement between them in writing?
Yes, unless the agreement was made in open court during the proceeding. Section 6-1404 requires stipulations and private agreements to be written and signed otherwise.
Who has to sign a written stipulation?
The parties or the counsel making the agreement.
What if opposing counsel and I agreed to something over the phone?
That agreement should be reduced to writing and signed to be enforceable under this section, since it was not made in open court.
Is an agreement stated on the record during a hearing covered by this writing requirement?
No. Agreements made in open court during the proceeding are exempt from the writing-and-signature requirement.
Why does Nebraska county court require stipulations to be documented?
To prevent disputes later about what the parties agreed to, by requiring a signed writing whenever the agreement was not made on the record in open court.
Source & verification. Section text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Nebraska Judicial Branch, adopted by the
Supreme Court of Nebraska. Last verified July 22, 2026. ·
Official source
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