Neb. Rev. Stat. § 20-301 et seq. § 20-334
Commission; subpoenas; discovery orders; violations; penalty.
Operative Text
(1) The commission may issue subpoenas and order discovery in aid of investigations and hearings under the Nebraska Fair Housing Act. The subpoenas and discovery may be ordered to the same extent and subject to the same limitations as would apply if the subpoenas or discovery were ordered or served in aid of a civil action in the district court. (2) Witnesses summoned by a subpoena shall be entitled to the same witness and mileage fees as witnesses in proceedings in district court. Fees payable to a witness summoned by a subpoena issued at the request of a party shall be paid by that party or, when a party is unable to pay the fees, by the commission. (3)(a) Any person who willfully fails or neglects to attend and testify or to answer any lawful inquiry or to produce records, documents, or other evidence, if it is in such person's power to do so, in obedience to the subpoena or other lawful order under subsection (1) of this section shall be guilty of a Class I misdemeanor. (b) Any person shall be guilty of a Class I misdemeanor who, with intent to mislead another person in any proceeding under the act: (i) Makes or causes to be made any false entry or statement of fact in any report, account, record, or other document produced pursuant to subpoena or other lawful order under subsection (1) of this section; (ii) Willfully neglects or fails to make or to cause to be made full, true, and correct entries in such reports, accounts, records, or other documents; or (iii) Willfully mutilates, alters, or by any other means falsifies any documentary evidence.
Nebraska Revised Statute § 20-334 grants the Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission authority to compel testimony and documents during fair housing investigations and hearings, using the same procedural rules that apply in state district court civil cases. Witnesses who are subpoenaed are entitled to standard court witness and mileage fees, with costs borne by the requesting party or, when that party cannot pay, by the commission itself. Individuals who willfully ignore a subpoena, fail to produce required records, or submit false or altered documents in these proceedings commit a Class I misdemeanor under Nebraska law.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers involved in a Nebraska Fair Housing Act proceeding should be aware that under § 20-334, the commission holds broad authority to subpoena witnesses and order production of records on the same terms as a district court. Operators who receive a subpoena or discovery order are generally expected to respond fully and accurately, producing all requested documents in their possession. Willful non-compliance, falsification, or alteration of any records produced in response to such an order exposes a respondent to Class I misdemeanor liability.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Tenants participating in a fair housing complaint proceeding before the Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission should know that § 20-334 gives the commission real enforcement tools, including the power to subpoena witnesses and compel document production from landlords and other parties. If a landlord or other respondent fails to comply with a commission subpoena or submits false records, that conduct constitutes a Class I misdemeanor, which may be relevant to the overall proceeding. Tenants navigating this process may find it helpful to consult a tenant-rights organization or legal aid provider familiar with Nebraska fair housing procedures.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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