Every purchaser at a judicial sale held by a sheriff, receiver, referee, or master commissioner, except a lienholder to the extent that he or she uses his or her lien as his or her bid, shall, at the time of acceptance of the bid, deposit with the sheriff, receiver, referee, or master commissioner, a sum equal to 15 percent of the bid to be held for disposition on the further order of the court.
§ 6-1515.Judicial sales.
Article 15: Uniform District Court Rules of Practice and Procedure · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceThis rule requires anyone who buys property at a judicial sale run by a sheriff, receiver, referee, or master commissioner to put down fifteen percent of the winning bid on the spot, holding that deposit until the court decides what happens next.
Full Text of § 6-1515
Plain-English Summary
A judicial sale is not an ordinary auction. A sheriff, receiver, referee, or master commissioner conducts it under court supervision, usually to sell property tied up in a foreclosure, a partition action, or some other case where the court itself has to sign off on the outcome. Section 6-1515 addresses the moment right after the gavel falls: the winning bidder has to deposit fifteen percent of the bid immediately, and that money sits with the officer who ran the sale until the court issues a further order.
The deposit protects the process. A sale is not final the instant a bid is accepted — the court still has to confirm it, and confirmation can be delayed or denied for reasons ranging from an inadequate price to a defect in notice. Requiring real money up front discourages a bidder from walking away once a higher offer surfaces or once the reality of closing the deal sets in. It also gives the court a fund it can draw on if the sale falls through and costs need covering.
The rule carves out one exception. A lienholder who bids using the lien itself, rather than fresh cash, does not have to come up with a fifteen percent deposit on top of that. A bank foreclosing on its own mortgage, for example, can credit its bid against what it is already owed instead of depositing a separate sum.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do I have to put down if I win a judicial sale?
Fifteen percent of your winning bid, deposited with the sheriff, receiver, referee, or master commissioner at the time your bid is accepted.
Does everyone who wins a bid have to make this deposit?
Almost everyone. The one exception is a lienholder who uses the amount of the lien as the bid instead of paying cash, since there is no separate purchase price to secure.
What happens to the deposit after the sale?
The officer who conducted the sale holds it for disposition on further order of the court, which decides how the money is applied once the sale is confirmed or resolved.
Does paying the deposit mean the sale is final?
No. Section 6-1515 addresses only the deposit at the time of the bid; confirmation of the sale is a separate step the court still has to take.
What if the winning bidder does not have fifteen percent available right away?
The rule requires the deposit at the time the bid is accepted, so a bidder unprepared to make that payment on the spot risks losing the sale.
Source & verification. Section text is
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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