Nothing herein shall restrict or contravene the discretion given to a court to dispose of exhibits under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-1004, or in requiring compliance by all parties with Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 84-1201 to 84-1220, and nothing herein shall restrict a court from requiring retention of exhibits in any instance for a period of time in excess of that in the applicable Records Retention and Disposition Schedules of the State Records Administrator.
§ 6-504.Additional court discretion to dispose of exhibits.
Article 5: Exhibit Disposition and Review · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceThis section makes clear that §§ 6-501 through 6-503 do not limit a court’s existing statutory discretion to dispose of exhibits under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-1004, do not excuse compliance with Nebraska’s public records statutes, and do not stop a court from requiring exhibits to be kept longer than the state retention schedule requires.
Full Text of § 6-504
Plain-English Summary
Section 6-504 is a savings clause. It exists to head off an argument that the release and disposal procedures spelled out elsewhere in Article 5 somehow cap a court’s authority. They do not. Nothing in those sections restricts or contravenes the discretion a court already has under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-1004 to dispose of exhibits, and nothing in them excuses a court from complying with Nebraska’s public records statutes, Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 84-1201 to 84-1220.
The section also confirms a related point: a court can always require exhibits to be retained longer than the applicable Records Retention and Disposition Schedules of the State Records Administrator would otherwise call for. In other words, the schedule sets a floor for how long exhibits are kept, not a ceiling, and a judge who has reason to hold onto an exhibit longer is free to say so.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this section take away any of a court’s power over exhibits?
No. It preserves the court’s existing discretion under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-1004 and confirms that the other exhibit rules do not cut against it.
Can a judge order an exhibit kept longer than the standard retention schedule?
Yes. Section 6-504 states that nothing in the exhibit rules restricts a court from requiring retention beyond what the applicable Records Retention and Disposition Schedules call for.
How does this section relate to Nebraska’s public records law?
It requires compliance with Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 84-1201 to 84-1220 by all parties, so the exhibit-specific rules in Article 5 do not override the state’s general public records requirements.
Is this section a limit on courts or a grant of extra authority to them?
Neither, really — it is a clarification. It confirms authority the court already holds under statute rather than creating something new.
What statute gives a court authority to dispose of exhibits in the first place?
Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-1004, which Section 6-504 says the exhibit rules do not restrict or contravene.
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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