Nebraska § 28-820 - Declaratory judgment; use of.

§ 28-820. Declaratory judgment; use of.

Any person who exhibits, sells or distributes, or is about to exhibit, sell or distribute or has in his or its possession with intent to sell or distribute, or is about to acquire possession with intent to exhibit, sell or distribute, any work, material, conduct or live performance shall, if such person has genuine doubt as to the question of whether such work, material, conduct or live performance is in fact within the terms and provisions of sections 28-807 to 28-829, have the right to bring an action in the district court for declaratory judgment under the Uniform Declaratory Judgments Act against the appropriate chief law enforcement officer of the city, village or county in which the work, material, conduct or live performance is located or is intended to be disseminated, distributed, or exhibited, for a judicial determination as to whether or not such work, material, conduct or live performance is obscene. Any such action may be consolidated with a pending action brought under the provisions of sections 28-816 to 28-818, and the defendant in any action brought under this section may seek a declaratory judgment or request a temporary restraining order or an injunction therein in accordance with the provisions of sections 28-816 to 28-818.

The State bears the burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt all three elements of obscenity. Main Street Movies, Inc. v. Wellman, 257 Neb. 559, 598 N.W.2d 754 (1999).

Proof beyond a reasonable doubt is the most appropriate standard in civil obscenity cases, instituted pursuant to this section. Tipp-It, Inc. v. Conboy, 257 Neb. 219, 596 N.W.2d 304 (1999).