Nebraska Statutes 60-1401.01. Legislativefindings and declaration
(1) The Legislature finds and declares that the distribution and sales of motor vehicles, motorcycles, and trailers in the State of Nebraska vitally affects the general economy of the state, the public interest, the public welfare, and public safety and that in order to promote the public interest and the public welfare and in the exercise of its police power, it is necessary to regulate motor vehicle, motorcycle, and trailer dealers, manufacturers, distributors, and their representatives doing business in the State of Nebraska.
Terms Used In Nebraska Statutes 60-1401.01
- Distributor: means a person, resident or nonresident of this state, who, in whole or in part, sells or distributes new motor vehicles, trailers, or motorcycles to dealers or who maintains distributors or representatives who sell or distribute motor vehicles, trailers, or motorcycles to dealers and also has the same meaning as the term franchisor. See Nebraska Statutes 60-1401.13
- Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
- Franchise: means a contract between two or more persons when all of the following conditions are included:
(1) A commercial relationship of definite duration or continuing indefinite duration is involved. See Nebraska Statutes 60-1401.19
- Manufacturer: means any person, whether a resident or nonresident of this state, who is engaged in the business of distributing, manufacturing, or assembling a line-make of new motor vehicles, trailers, or motorcycles, and includes any such person who distributes such motor vehicles, trailers, or motorcycles directly or indirectly through one or more distributors to one or more new motor vehicle, trailer, or motorcycle dealers in this state. See Nebraska Statutes 60-1401.24
- Motor vehicle: means any vehicle for which evidence of title is required as a condition precedent to registration under the laws of this state but does not include trailers. See Nebraska Statutes 60-1401.25
- Motorcycle: means every motor vehicle, except a tractor, having a seat or saddle for use of the rider and designed to travel on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground and for which evidence of title is required as a condition precedent to registration under the laws of this state. See Nebraska Statutes 60-1401.28
- Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
- State: when applied to different states of the United States shall be construed to extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories organized by Congress. See Nebraska Statutes 49-801
- Trailer: means semitrailers and trailers as defined in sections Nebraska Statutes 60-1401.36
(2) The Legislature further finds that the sales of motor vehicles, motorcycles, and trailers are involved to a large extent in a franchise system established between manufacturers and dealers and hereby declares that the sale of motor vehicles, motorcycles, and trailers to the public in the state under the franchise system includes more than the mere transfer of title, being a continuing obligation of the manufacturer, distributor, and dealer to the buying public affecting the public interest; that the termination or failure of the established relationship between the manufacturer, distributor, and dealer without cause or good faith denies to the general buying public its right to availability of continuing post-sale mechanical and operational services and precludes the relationship, expected and implied at the time of sale, between the buyer and the seller necessary to insure safe operating condition of the vehicle.
(3) The Legislature further finds and declares that the distribution and sale of motor vehicles in the state under the franchise system vitally affects commerce, the general economy of the state, and the welfare of the citizens of the state requiring the exercise of its police power to insure the public welfare, to regulate commerce, to establish guidelines for enforcement of a fair and equitable balance between parties to such franchises, and to provide judicial relief from unfair and inequitable practices affecting the public interest.