(1) Every motor vehicle, regardless of the registered owner of the motor vehicle, being operated by a person whose operator’s license has been suspended, revoked, or impounded pursuant to a conviction or convictions for violation of section 60-6,196, 60-6,197, 60-6,211.01, or 60-6,211.02 or by an order of any court or an administrative order of the director is hereby declared a public nuisance. The motor vehicle may be seized upon the arrest of the operator of the motor vehicle and impounded at the expense of the owner of the motor vehicle. If such operator’s license is suspended, revoked, or impounded pursuant to subdivision (1)(c) of section 60-4,108 or section 60-498.01, 60-498.02, 60-6,196, 60-6,197, 60-6,211.01, or 60-6,211.02, the motor vehicle shall be impounded for not less than ten days nor more than thirty days. No motor vehicle impounded under this section shall be impounded for a period of time exceeding thirty days except as provided in subsection (3) of this section.

Terms Used In Nebraska Statutes 60-4,110

  • Action: shall include any proceeding in any court of this state. See Nebraska Statutes 49-801
  • Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
  • Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
  • Company: shall include any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint-stock company, joint venture, or association. See Nebraska Statutes 49-801
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Director: shall mean the Director of Motor Vehicles. See Nebraska Statutes 60-466
  • Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
  • Motor vehicle: means all vehicles propelled by any power other than muscular power. See Nebraska Statutes 60-471
  • Owner: shall mean a person who holds legal title to a motor vehicle, a mortgagor entitled to the possession of a motor vehicle, or the conditional vendee or lessee of a motor vehicle which is the subject of an agreement for the conditional sale or lease of the motor vehicle with the right of purchase upon performance of the conditions stated in the agreement and with an immediate right of possession vested in the conditional vendee or lessee. See Nebraska Statutes 60-475
  • Peace officer: shall include sheriffs, coroners, jailers, marshals, police officers, state highway patrol officers, members of the National Guard on active service by direction of the Governor during periods of emergency, and all other persons with similar authority to make arrests. See Nebraska Statutes 49-801
  • Person: shall mean every natural person, firm, partnership, limited liability company, association, or corporation. See Nebraska Statutes 60-476
  • Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
  • Vehicle: shall mean every device in, upon, or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a highway except devices moved solely by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks. See Nebraska Statutes 60-478

(2) Any motor vehicle impounded shall be released:

(a) To the holder of a bona fide lien on the motor vehicle executed prior to such impoundment when possession of the motor vehicle is requested as provided by law by such lienholder for purposes of foreclosing and satisfying his or her lien on the motor vehicle;

(b) To the titled owner of the motor vehicle when the titled owner is a lessor. Upon learning the address or telephone number of the rental or leasing company which owns the motor vehicle, the impounding law enforcement agency shall immediately contact the company and inform it that the motor vehicle is available for the company to take possession; or

(c) To the registered owner, a registered co-owner, or a spouse of the owner upon good cause shown by an affidavit or otherwise to the court before which the complaint is pending against the operator that the impounded motor vehicle is essential to the livelihood of the owner, co-owner, or spouse or the dependents of such owner, co-owner, or spouse.

(3) Any person who, at the direction of a peace officer, tows and stores a motor vehicle pursuant to this section shall have a lien upon such motor vehicle while in his or her possession for reasonable towing and storage charges and shall have a right to retain such motor vehicle until such charges are paid.

(4) If the registered owner of a motor vehicle was not the operator of the motor vehicle whose actions caused the motor vehicle to be impounded, the registered owner of the motor vehicle may recover civilly from the operator of the motor vehicle all expenses incurred by reason of the impoundment. In the case of a criminal action, the court may order such operator of the motor vehicle to pay restitution to the registered owner in an amount equal to any expenses incurred with respect to impoundment.

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