30-2222. Pleadings; when parties bound by others; notice.
In formal proceedings involving estates of decedents, minors, protected persons, or incapacitated persons, and in judicially supervised settlements, the following apply:
(1) Interests to be affected shall be described in pleadings which give reasonable information to owners by name or class, by reference to the instrument creating the interests, or in other appropriate manner.
(2) Persons are bound by orders binding others in the following cases:
(i) Orders binding the sole holder or all coholders of a power of revocation or a presently exercisable general power of appointment, including one in the form of a power of amendment, bind other persons to the extent their interests (as objects, takers in default, or otherwise) are subject to the power.
(ii) To the extent there is no conflict of interest between them or among persons represented, orders binding a conservator bind the person whose estate he or she controls; orders binding a guardian bind the ward if no conservator of his or her estate has been appointed; orders binding a trustee bind beneficiaries of the trust in proceedings to probate a will establishing or adding to a trust, to review the acts or accounts of a prior fiduciary and in proceedings involving creditors or other third parties; and orders binding a personal representative bind persons interested in the undistributed assets of a decedent's estate in actions or proceedings by or against the estate. If there is no conflict of interest and no conservator or guardian has been appointed, a parent may represent his or her minor child.
(iii) An unborn or unascertained person who is not otherwise represented is bound by an order to the extent his or her interest is adequately represented by another party having a substantially identical interest in the proceeding.
(3) Notice is required as follows:
(i) Notice as prescribed by section 30-2220 shall be given to every interested person or to one who can bind an interested person as described in (2)(i) or (2)(ii) above. Notice may be given both to a person and to another who may bind him or her.
(ii) Notice is given to unborn or unascertained persons, who are not represented under (2)(i) or (2)(ii) above, by giving notice to all known persons whose interests in the proceedings are substantially identical to those of the unborn or unascertained persons.
(4) At any point in a proceeding, a court may appoint a guardian ad litem as provided in sections 30-4201 to 30-4210 to represent the interest of a minor, an incapacitated, unborn, or unascertained person, or a person whose identity or address is unknown, if the court determines that representation of the interest otherwise would be inadequate. If not precluded by conflict of interests, a guardian ad litem may be appointed to represent several persons or interests. The court shall set out its reasons for appointing a guardian ad litem as a part of the record of the proceeding.
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Annotations
To the extent there is no conflict of interest between or among persons represented, orders binding a trustee bind the beneficiaries of a trust, and if there is no conflict of interest and no conservator or guardian has been appointed, a parent may represent his or her minor child. Koch v. Koch, 226 Neb. 305, 411 N.W.2d 319 (1987).
This section does not empower a county court to appoint a guardian ad litem for a mentally incapacitated person to serve in that capacity at a hearing held outside of that court concerning the subject's possible removal from the Beatrice State Developmental Center and the court cannot tax costs for services performed by the guardian ad litem at said hearing against the state. In re Guardianship of Jonas, 211 Neb. 397, 318 N.W.2d 867 (1982).