Hiring a Lemon Law Lawyer in Nebraska
The Nebraska lemon law for new cars, the rules for used cars, where to file a complaint, how to check a lawyer's license, and free help. We do not recommend or rank lawyers.
What a lawyer costs in Nebraska: fee rules
| Rules on contingency fees | Under Neb. Ct. R. of Prof. Cond. § 3-501.5(c), a contingent fee agreement must be in a writing signed by the client and must state how the fee is determined, including the percentage(s) for settlement, trial or appeal; litigation and other expenses deducted from the recovery; and whether expenses are deducted before or after the fee is calculated. It must clearly notify the client of expenses owed whether or not the client prevails, and at the end the lawyer must give a written statement of the outcome and, if there is a recovery, the remittance and how it was determined. § 3-501.5(d) prohibits fees in domestic relations matters contingent on securing a divorce or on the amount of alimony, support or property settlement, and contingent fees for defending a criminal case. § 3-501.5(b) says the basis or rate of fees should be communicated, preferably in writing. |
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| If you disagree with a lawyer's bill | The Nebraska State Bar Association's Legal Fee Arbitration Program offers voluntary arbitration of disputes over fees charged by attorneys (and also between attorneys and physicians, stenographers, consultants and expert witnesses). The rules, petition, respondent's answer form and a fee brochure are on the page; questions go to the program contact at 1-800-927-0117. |
| If a lawyer takes your money | The Nebraska State Bar Association's Client Assistance Fund, established in January 1974 under the Nebraska Supreme Court's authority, helps claimants recover losses caused by dishonest conduct of lawyers while practicing law in Nebraska. Complete the claim form, attach copies of supporting documents, have it notarized, and send it to NSBA/Client Assistance Fund, 635 South 14th Street, Suite 200, Lincoln, NE 68508, keeping a copy. |
Nebraska rules to know first
| Lemon law for new cars | Nebraska's lemon law covers new motor vehicles sold in Nebraska, excluding recreational vehicles. A "consumer" includes a buyer of a vehicle normally used for personal, family, household or business purposes. Problems must be reported to the manufacturer, its agent or dealer during the warranty or within one year of original delivery, whichever is earlier. A reasonable number of repair attempts is presumed if the same problem has been repaired four or more times in that period and still exists, or the vehicle has been out of service for repairs a total of 40 or more days; the presumption applies only if the manufacturer received prior written notice by certified mail and a chance to fix the defect. If a defect that substantially impairs use and market value cannot be fixed, the manufacturer must replace the vehicle with a comparable one or take it back and refund the full purchase price, including sales tax, license and registration fees, less a reasonable allowance for use. If the manufacturer has a dispute settlement procedure certified by the Director of Motor Vehicles, the consumer must use it before seeking a refund or replacement. Attorney General overview: https://protectthegoodlife.nebraska.gov/auto-fraud-and-lemon-law |
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| Used cars | The Attorney General states that Nebraska's lemon law applies only to new vehicles and that there is no three-day right to cancel the purchase of a vehicle. A used car sold "as is" is bought in its current condition with no express or implied warranty from the seller, and once the sale is complete the seller has no obligation to make repairs. Complaints about vehicle dealers can be filed with the Motor Vehicle Industry Licensing Board. |
| How to make a lemon law claim | 1) Report the problem: the consumer must report the defect to the manufacturer, its agent or an authorized dealer during the express warranty term or within one year after original delivery, whichever ends first. 2) Written notice: the presumption that the manufacturer had a reasonable number of repair attempts does not apply unless the manufacturer first received written notice sent directly to it by certified mail, from or on behalf of the consumer, and had an opportunity to fix the defect. 3) Arbitration: the Director of Motor Vehicles sets standards for informal dispute settlement programs based on federal rules (16 C.F.R. part 703). If the manufacturer has or takes part in a program certified by the Director, the consumer must use that program first before the refund-or-replacement remedy applies. The statute does not set a fee for the consumer. 4) Deadline to sue: a lawsuit under the lemon law must be filed within one year after the express warranty expires or two years after original delivery, whichever is earlier. A consumer who wins in court is awarded reasonable attorney's fees. Related sections read: https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=60-2704 and https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=60-2705. The statute does not describe a separate state-run arbitration program. |
| Where to file a consumer complaint | File a consumer complaint with the Attorney General's Consumer Affairs Response Team online, or print the PDF complaint form (also available in Spanish) and mail it to the Consumer Affairs Response Team, Nebraska Attorney General's Office, 2115 State Capitol, Lincoln, NE 68509. You must contact the business first to try to resolve the problem. The office's dispute resolution process is voluntary and requires cooperation from both the consumer and the business; the Attorney General does not represent individual consumers. Phone: 402-471-2785; email ago.consumer@nebraska.gov. |
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | The Nebraska State Bar Association's Find-A-Lawyer website lets the public look for a lawyer. Attorneys listed there charge $50 or less for the first 30 minutes of consultation, according to the site. The site says it is not a directory of NSBA members; for a full list of licensed Nebraska attorneys it points to the Nebraska Supreme Court Attorney Services Division website. |
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| Check that the lawyer is licensed | The Nebraska Supreme Court regulates attorney licensing, and the Nebraska Judicial Branch provides a public attorney search for checking a lawyer's record; the Counsel for Discipline's grievance page points the public to it. |
| Check discipline history or file a complaint | The Nebraska Supreme Court's Counsel for Discipline investigates and prosecutes violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct. File a grievance with the court's grievance form or a letter fully explaining the problem, with copies (not originals) of supporting documents, by email (nsc.cfdcomplaints@nejudicial.gov), fax (402-471-1014) or mail (Counsel for Discipline, 5001 Central Park Dr., Ste. 300, Lincoln, NE 68504-3461); phone 402-471-1040. Grievances that would not describe improper conduct even if true are rejected; otherwise the lawyer is usually asked for a written response, staff investigate, and the grievance is dismissed or charges are filed with a Committee on Inquiry. Grievances and investigations are confidential. The office cannot give legal advice, change court orders or recover money for you; it can only seek discipline. |
Free legal help
| Free legal aid | Legal Aid of Nebraska provides information, referrals, advice, self-help services and representation to qualifying low-income people with civil legal issues, with seven offices serving all 93 counties. There are no walk-ins: call the Statewide AccessLine at 1-877-250-2016 (Monday/Wednesday 8:30-11:30 am, Tuesday/Thursday 1:00-3:00 pm, Central Time) or apply online. Seniors 60+ can use the ElderAccessLine at 1-800-527-7249. The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) lists Legal Aid of Nebraska as the LSC-funded grantee in the state. LSC grantee list: https://www.lsc.gov/about-lsc/our-grantees |
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All legal help in Nebraska · Background guide
Last verified against official sources: October 27, 2026.
How we source this page: each state-specific rule links to the statute, court rule or official government page it comes from. A rule taken from a public copy of a state code (used only where the official code is not freely readable online) is marked as a secondary source. Spot an error? Use the contact page to report it. About our sources
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.