A plain-paper original transmission shall constitute a filing. The sender shall retain the original document transmitted by fax for a period not less than the maximum allowable time to complete the appellate process, unless otherwise directed by a court.
§ 6-605.Original transmission.
Article 6: Fax Filing · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceThis section treats the plain-paper original document transmitted by fax as the filing itself, and requires the sender to keep that original for at least as long as the maximum time allowed to complete an appeal, unless a court directs otherwise.
Full Text of § 6-605
Plain-English Summary
Section 6-605 answers a basic question about fax filing: what document counts as filed? The answer is the plain-paper original transmission — the document that goes out over the fax line constitutes the filing itself.
Because a fax transmission is not the same as producing an original signed document on demand, the section also places a retention duty on the sender. The sender has to keep the original document transmitted by fax for a period not less than the maximum allowable time to complete the appellate process, unless a court directs otherwise. That way, if a question ever arises about what was filed, the true original is still available.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as the actual filing when I fax a document to the court?
The plain-paper original transmission constitutes the filing.
Do I need to hold onto the original document after faxing it?
Yes. The sender must retain the original document transmitted by fax for at least as long as the maximum allowable time to complete the appellate process, unless a court directs otherwise.
How long, specifically, do I need to keep the original?
Not less than the maximum time allowed to complete the appellate process, unless a court orders a different period.
What if a court tells me to keep the original longer or shorter than that?
A court’s direction controls; the section’s retention period applies unless the court directs otherwise.
Does this section relate to how signatures are treated in fax filings?
Yes, indirectly. Section 6-611 treats a faxed signature as an original for filing purposes, while this section makes sure the true signed original still exists and is kept on hand.
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
Also known as: keep original document after fax filingfax transmission is the filing nebraskaretention period fax filed documentplain paper original fax filing rule