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United States District Court for the District of Nebraska

8th Circuit Omaha, Nebraska

About This Court

The United States District Court for the District of Nebraska is the federal trial court with jurisdiction over the state of Nebraska, operating within the Eighth Circuit. The court handles federal civil and criminal matters arising throughout Nebraska's 77,358 square miles, covering both urban centers such as Omaha and Lincoln and large rural areas of the Great Plains.

Nebraska is a single-district state, meaning one federal district court serves the entire state. The court sits in multiple locations to serve litigants across the state's geographic expanse. Appeals from this court are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, which sits in St. Louis.

Proceedings are governed by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, and Federal Rules of Evidence, along with the court's local rules. Bankruptcy cases are handled by the companion Bankruptcy Court, District of Nebraska.

Divisions

Omaha Division (Omaha), Lincoln Division (Lincoln), North Platte Division (North Platte)

Caseload

The court's docket reflects Nebraska's agricultural economy and includes cases involving agribusiness, railroad litigation, and immigration matters given the state's significant meatpacking industry workforce. Federal criminal cases frequently involve drug trafficking and firearms offenses.

Bar Admission

Attorneys must be admitted to the bar of the State of Nebraska or admitted pro hac vice to practice before this court. Applicants must also comply with the court's local rules governing admission and electronic filing registration.

Clerk's Office

111 South 18th Plaza, Suite 1152, Omaha, NE 68102

(402) 661-7350

Active Judges 5

Name Appointed By Confirmed Law School
Joseph Bataillon William J. Clinton 1997 Creighton University School of Law
Susan Bazis Joseph R. Biden 2024 Creighton University School of Law
Brian Buescher Donald J. Trump 2019 Georgetown University Law Center
John Gerrard Barack Obama 2012 University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law
Robert Rossiter Barack Obama 2016 Creighton University School of Law

Local Rules

62 local rules extracted from this court's published rules. See the court's official website for the authoritative text.

Civil Rules 62

Rule Title
10.1 Form of Documents
1.1 Definitions
11.1 Signing of Documents
12.1 Motions to Dismiss; Suspension of Time to Answer
15.1 Motion to Amend Pleading
16.1 Scheduling Orders
16.2 Pretrial Procedure in Civil Cases
23.1 Class Action Procedures
26.1 Service of Disclosures
29.1 Discovery Stipulations
30.1 Video Depositions
3.2 Prepayment of Filing Fees
32.1 Editing Video Depositions for Court Proceedings
3.3 Applications to Proceed in Forma Pauperis
33.1 Interrogatories
34.1 Requests for Production or Inspection
34.2 Persons Not Parties
36.1 Requests for Admission
38.1 Notation of "Jury Demand" on Pleading
39.1 Opening Statements and Closing Arguments
39.2 Briefs
39.3 Trial Exhibits
40.1 Trial Calendar
4.1 Summons
41.1 Settlement Procedures
41.2 Dismissal of Action
45.1 Subpoenas to Nonparties
47.1 Jury Selection
47.2 Disclosure of Juror Identity
48.1 Number of Jurors
48.2 Jury Deliberations
5.1 Electronic Case Filing (CM/ECF)
51.1 Proposed Jury Instructions
5.2 Electronic Service
52.1 Proposed Findings
5.3 Privacy
5.4 Restrictions on Filing Discovery
54.1 Taxation of Costs
54.2 Jury Cost Assessment
54.3 Award of Attorney's Fees and Nontaxable Expenses
54.4 Fee Application Guidelines
55.1 Default Judgment
56.1 Summary Judgment Procedure
58.1 Satisfaction of Judgment
6.1 Time
65.1 Preliminary Injunctive Relief
65.1.1 Security; Proceedings Against Sureties
67.1 Deposits
7.1 Motion Practice
7.2 Proposed Order
72.1 Magistrate Judge Duties
72.2 Objections to Magistrate Judge's Order or Findings and Recommendations
72.3 Review of Magistrate Judge's Order in Special Master Report
7.3 Agreements and Stipulations
73.1 Magistrate Judge; Trial by Consent
7.4 Motion to Certify a Question to State Court
7.5 Sealed Documents and Objects
7.6 Denial of Pending Motions Upon Reference
79.1 Custody of Files and Exhibits
81.1 Removed Actions
85.1 Title; Citation
9.1 Pleading Special Matters

View all local rules →

Other Courts in the 8th Circuit