Nebraska Divorce Forms

The single biggest misunderstanding about Nebraska divorce forms is that having the right documents means you are ready to file. The forms themselves are free — the Nebraska Supreme Court publishes every standardized template online — but knowing which forms to use, what order to submit them in, and how to fill them out correctly is where most self-represented filers run into trouble.

Where to Get Official Nebraska Divorce Forms

All official divorce forms come from the Nebraska Judicial Branch website. They are organized by the Committee on Self-Represented Litigation into two complete form packets:

• DC 6:4 series: Divorce with no children and no property disputes
• DC 6:5 series: Divorce with children but no custody or property disputes

Each packet includes the complaint, service documents, financial affidavits (if applicable), and the proposed decree. The forms are free to download as fillable PDFs. You do not need to pay a third-party website for them.

Paid document preparation services like 3 Step Divorce ($299), DivorceWriter ($137), and similar platforms generate the same state forms you can download yourself. They charge for convenience, not for proprietary documents.

Which Form Packet Do You Need?

This is the first decision point, and choosing wrong means starting over.

Use the DC 6:4 packet (no children) only if ALL of these are true:

• No children were born or adopted during the marriage
• The wife is not pregnant
• Neither spouse wants alimony
• Neither spouse has a pension or retirement account
• Neither spouse owns real estate or a business
• Neither spouse is on active military duty

Use the DC 6:5 packet (with children) only if ALL of these are true:

• Minor children exist, but both parents agree on custody and visitation
• No children were born outside the marriage (unless paternity is established)
• The wife is not pregnant
• Neither spouse has a pension, retirement account, real estate, or business
• Neither spouse is on active military duty

If your situation does not fit neatly into either packet — and it often does not if there is any real estate, a retirement account, or an active custody disagreement — you cannot use the standardized forms. You need an attorney to draft custom pleadings.

Key Forms in Each Packet

Initial filing forms:

• Complaint for Dissolution (DC 6:4.1 or DC 6:5.1): The document that starts the case. States your residency, the grounds (irretrievably broken), and what relief you are requesting.
• Vital Statistics Certificate: Required demographic information for state records.
• Confidential Information Forms (DC 6:5.11 and DC 6:5.12): Social Security numbers and employment details. These are sealed and not part of the public record.

Service forms:

• Voluntary Appearance (DC 6:4.3): Your spouse signs this to acknowledge receipt of the complaint, avoiding the need for sheriff service.
• Praecipe for Summons (DC 6:4.4): Directs the court clerk to issue a summons for sheriff delivery if your spouse will not sign a voluntary appearance.

Finalizing forms:

• Decree of Dissolution (DC 6:4.6 or DC 6:5.3): The proposed final order. You draft this yourself and submit it for the judge's review.
• Parenting Plan (DC 6:5.37 or DC 6:5.38): Required in all cases with children. Covers legal custody, physical custody, parenting time, holiday schedules, and decision-making authority.
• Request for Decree Without Hearing (DC 6:4.9): Allows both parties to waive the final hearing, though local judges sometimes reject this from self-represented filers.

Common Mistakes With Nebraska Divorce Forms

Court clerks across Nebraska are legally prohibited from helping you fill out forms or advising you on which ones to use. That restriction leads to predictable errors:

Filing forms out of order. The complaint must be filed before the summons can be issued. The Vital Statistics Certificate and confidential forms must accompany the complaint. Submitting them piecemeal or in the wrong sequence gets your packet returned.

Using outdated form versions. The "DC 6" serial numbers are periodically revised by the Supreme Court. Filing an older version can result in rejection. Always download forms directly from the Nebraska Judicial Branch website rather than using saved copies.

Vague descriptions in the decree. Judges reject proposed decrees that say things like "the parties will divide property equally." Real estate must be identified by legal description, debts must specify who pays what and by when, and child support must include a completed worksheet calculation.

Missing the with-children requirements. Cases involving minor children require additional filings: a Financial Affidavit for Child Support (DC 6:5.2), proof of completion of a parenting education class (DC 6:5.5), and the parenting plan. Omitting any of these stalls your case.

The Nebraska Divorce Filing Process Guide provides a step-by-step walkthrough that shows you exactly which forms to submit, in what order, and how to complete each section — so you use the state's free forms without the guesswork that leads to rejected filings.

See more Nebraska guides →