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.
(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.
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Annotations
When a plaintiff alleges only that he is the son of the decedent and that the decedent was survived by his wife, he has no right to control the disposition of the decedent's remains. Heitzman v. Thompson, 270 Neb. 600, 705 N.W.2d 426 (2005).