Upon hearing, the franchisor shall have the burden of proof to establish that under the Motor Vehicle Industry Regulation Act the franchisor should be granted permission to terminate or not continue the franchise, to change the franchisee‘s community, or to enter into a franchise establishing an additional motor vehicle, combination motor vehicle and trailer, motorcycle, or trailer dealership.

Terms Used In Nebraska Statutes 60-1427

  • Board: means the Nebraska Motor Vehicle Industry Licensing Board. See Nebraska Statutes 60-1401.06
  • Community: means a franchisee's area of responsibility as stipulated in the franchise or, if the franchise fails to designate a community, (1) the community of the franchisee is the area surrounding the location of the franchisee in a five-mile radius from the dealership if the location is within a city of the metropolitan class and (2) the community of the franchisee is the county in which the franchisee is located if the location is not within a city of the metropolitan class. See Nebraska Statutes 60-1401.09
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • 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

  • Franchisee: means a new motor vehicle dealer who receives motor vehicles from the franchisor under a franchise and who offers and sells such motor vehicles to the general public. See Nebraska Statutes 60-1401.20
  • Franchisor: means a person who manufactures or distributes motor vehicles and who may enter into a franchise. See Nebraska Statutes 60-1401.21
  • 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
  • Trailer: means semitrailers and trailers as defined in sections 60-348 and 60-354, respectively, which are required to be licensed as commercial trailers, other vehicles without motive power constructed so as to permit their being used as conveyances upon the public streets and highways and so constructed as not to be attached to real estate and to permit the vehicle to be used for human habitation by one or more persons, and camping trailers, slide-in campers, fold-down campers, and fold-down tent trailers. See Nebraska Statutes 60-1401.36

Nothing contained in the act shall be construed to require or authorize any investigation by the board of any matter before the board under the provisions of sections 60-1420 to 60-1435. Upon hearing, the board, or hearing officer employed by the board, shall hear the evidence introduced by the parties. The hearing officer employed by the board shall make a recommendation to the board solely upon the record so made. The board shall make its decision solely upon the record so made.