(A) Mediation. The court may enter an order referring the case to mediation. The referral to mediation will not alter any of the times specified in these Rules, unless the parties stipulate or the court finds that there is good cause for doing so.
§ 6-2209.Case management and scheduling.
Article 22: Rules for County Court Expedited Civil Actions · Last amended January 1, 2022 · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentence§ 6-2209 lets a court refer an expedited case to mediation without disturbing its deadlines, requires the court to set a trial date once the first responsive pleading is filed, and lets the court order discovery, motion, and pretrial deadlines that don’t conflict with the Act or these rules.
Full Text of § 6-2209
(B) Scheduling and Case Progression. As soon as the first responsive pleading is filed, the court shall enter an order setting the matter for trial, taking into consideration the Act, these Rules, and the Case Progression Standards for county court civil actions set forth in Neb. Ct. R. § 6-101. The trial date is subject to a later continuance for good cause shown. The court may enter an order that states the dates for completing discovery, filing specified motions, or being prepared for trial, such dates shall not be in conflict with these Rules or timelines set forth in the Act.
(C) Witnesses and Exhibits. The court may enter an order that requires the parties or sides to identify the witnesses and documents that they may use at trial. The order may impose such requirements as the court deems appropriate, including a requirement that the parties or sides serve disclosures at specified times, file a joint statement of witnesses and exhibits, or participate in a pretrial conference.
Amendment History
§ 6-2209 adopted December 8, 2021, effective January 1, 2022; § 6-2209(B) amended December 22, 2021, effective January 1, 2022.
Plain-English Summary
§ 6-2209 keeps an expedited case moving toward trial instead of drifting. A court can send a case to mediation, but doing so does not, by itself, push back any of the deadlines these rules already set; the parties have to agree, or the court has to find good cause, before mediation buys anyone extra time.
On scheduling, the rule does not wait for a status conference or a party’s request: as soon as the first responsive pleading is filed, the court has to enter an order setting the trial date, weighing the Act, these rules, and the Case Progression Standards for county court civil actions in Neb. Ct. R. § 6-101. That trial date can still move for good cause shown, but the case starts with a date on the calendar rather than an open-ended timeline.
The court also keeps the power to manage the run-up to trial — it can order the parties to identify trial witnesses and exhibits, set specific dates for discovery, motions, and trial readiness, require a joint statement of witnesses and exhibits, or call for a pretrial conference. Whatever the court orders along those lines, it cannot conflict with the deadlines the Act or these rules already establish.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the court set a trial date in an expedited civil action?
As soon as the first responsive pleading is filed, the court must enter an order setting the matter for trial.
Does referring a case to mediation extend the discovery or trial deadlines?
No, not automatically. Referral to mediation does not alter the times set in these rules unless the parties stipulate or the court finds good cause.
Can the trial date be moved once it is set?
Yes. The trial date is subject to a later continuance for good cause shown.
What pretrial requirements can a court impose in an expedited action?
The court may require parties to identify trial witnesses and documents, serve disclosures at set times, file a joint statement of witnesses and exhibits, or participate in a pretrial conference.
What are the Case Progression Standards the court has to consider?
They are the case progression standards for county court civil actions set out in Neb. Ct. R. § 6-101, which the court weighs alongside the Act and these rules when setting the trial date.
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
Also known as: expedited civil action trial date deadlinemediation referral expedited action nebraska6-2209 nebraska rulecase progression standards county courtscheduling order expedited civil actionpretrial conference expedited civil action nebraska