Nebraska Statutes 38-1425. Deceased persons; funeral and disposition arrangements; liability
(1) Any person signing a funeral service agreement, a cremation authorization form, or any other authorization for disposition shall be deemed to warrant the truthfulness of any facts set forth in such agreement, form, or authorization, including the identity of the decedent whose remains are to be buried, cremated, or otherwise disposed of and the person’s right of disposition. A funeral establishment, cemetery, or crematory authority shall have the right to rely on such agreement, form, or authorization and shall have the authority to carry out the instructions of the person or persons whom the funeral establishment, cemetery, or crematory authority reasonably believes holds the right of disposition. No funeral establishment, cemetery, or crematory authority shall have the responsibility to contact or to independently investigate the existence of any next-of-kin or relative of the decedent. If there is more than one person in a class equal in priority and the funeral establishment, cemetery, or crematory authority has no knowledge of any objection by other members of such class, the funeral establishment, cemetery, or crematory authority shall be entitled to rely on and act according to the instructions of the first such person in the class to make funeral and disposition arrangements so long as no other person in such class provides written notice of his or her objections to the funeral establishment, cemetery, or crematory authority, as the case may be.
Terms Used In Nebraska Statutes 38-1425
- Board: means the Board of Funeral Directing and Embalming. See Nebraska Statutes 38-1405
- Crematory authority: means the legal entity subject to licensure by the department to maintain and operate a crematory and perform cremation. See Nebraska Statutes 38-1408
- Decedent: A deceased person.
- Funeral establishment: means a place of business situated at a specific street address or location devoted to the care and preparation of dead human bodies for burial, disposition, or cremation or to conducting or arranging funeral services for dead human bodies. See Nebraska Statutes 38-1411
- Person: shall include bodies politic and corporate, societies, communities, the public generally, individuals, partnerships, limited liability companies, joint-stock companies, and associations. See Nebraska Statutes 49-801
- Public law: A public bill or joint resolution that has passed both chambers and been enacted into law. Public laws have general applicability nationwide.
- United States: shall include territories, outlying possessions, and the District of Columbia. See Nebraska Statutes 49-801
(2) The liability for the reasonable cost of the final disposition of the remains of the decedent devolves jointly and severally upon all kin of the decedent in the same degree of kindred into which the right of disposition fell and upon the estate of the decedent and, in cases where a county board has the right to control disposition of the remains under subdivision (2)(j) of section 30-2223, upon the county in which the death occurred from funds available for such purpose.
(3) If the decedent died during active military service, as provided in 10 U.S.C. § 1481 (a)(1) through (8), in any branch of the United States armed forces, United States reserve forces, or national guard, the person authorized by the decedent to direct disposition pursuant to section 564 of Public Law 109-163, as listed on the decedent’s United States Department of Defense record of emergency data, DD Form 93, or its successor form, shall take priority over all other persons described in section 30-2223.