Habitual criminal, defined; procedure for determination; hearing; penalties; effect of pardon.
Neb. Rev. Stat. § 29-2221
in effect29-2221. Habitual criminal, defined; procedure for determination; hearing; penalties; effect of pardon.
(1) Whoever has been twice convicted of a crime, sentenced, and committed to prison, in this or any other state or by the United States or once in this state and once at least in any other state or by the United States, for terms of not less than one year each shall, upon conviction of a felony committed in this state, be deemed to be a habitual criminal and shall be punished by imprisonment in a Department of Correctional Services adult correctional facility for a mandatory minimum term of ten years and a maximum term of not more than sixty years, except that:
(a) If the felony committed is in violation of section 28-303, 28-304, 28-308, 28-313, 28-319, 28-319.01, 28-502, 28-929, or 28-1222, and at least one of the habitual criminal's prior felony convictions was for a violation of one of the sections listed in this subdivision or of a similar statute in another state or of the United States, the mandatory minimum term shall be twenty-five years and the maximum term not more than sixty years;
(b) If the felony committed is in violation of subsection (3) of section 28-306 and at least one of the prior convictions is in violation of subsection (3) of section 28-306 and the other is in violation of one of the sections set forth in subdivision (a) of this subsection or if the felony committed is in violation of one of the sections set forth in subdivision (a) of this subsection and both of the prior convictions are in violation of subsection (3) of section 28-306, the mandatory minimum term shall be twenty-five years and the maximum term not more than sixty years;
(c) If the felony committed is in violation of subsection (3) of section 28-416 or in violation of sections 28-509 to 28-518 and all of the habitual criminal's prior felony convictions are also violations of such subsection or sections or of a similar statute in another state or of the United States, the mandatory minimum term shall be three years and the maximum term not more than twenty years; and
(d) If a greater punishment is otherwise provided by statute, the law creating the greater punishment shall govern.
(2) When punishment of an accused as a habitual criminal is sought, the facts with reference thereto shall be charged in the indictment or information which contains the charge of the felony upon which the accused is prosecuted, but the fact that the accused is charged with being a habitual criminal shall not be an issue upon the trial of the felony charge and shall not in any manner be disclosed to the jury. If the accused is convicted of a felony, before sentence is imposed a hearing shall be had before the court alone as to whether such person has been previously convicted of prior felonies. The court shall fix a time for the hearing and notice thereof shall be given to the accused at least three days prior thereto. At the hearing, if the court finds from the evidence submitted that the accused has been convicted two or more times of felonies and sentences imposed therefor by the courts of this or any other state or by the United States, the court shall sentence such person so convicted as a habitual criminal.
(3) If the person so convicted shows to the satisfaction of the court before which the conviction was had that he or she was released from imprisonment upon either of such sentences upon a pardon granted for the reason that he or she was innocent, such conviction and sentence shall not be considered as such under this section and section 29-2222.
Laws 1921, c. 131, § 1, p. 543; C.S.1922, § 10177; C.S.1929, § 29-2217; Laws 1937, c. 68, § 1, p. 252; C.S.Supp.,1941, § 29-2217; R.S.1943, § 29-2221; Laws 1947, c. 105, § 1, p. 294; Laws 1967, c. 179, § 1, p. 497; Laws 1993, LB 31, § 10; Laws 1995, LB 371, § 13; Laws 2006, LB 1199, § 14; Laws 2023, LB50, § 7; Laws 2025, LB150, § 33.
Source: Nebraska Legislature (nebraskalegislature.gov)URL: https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=29-2221Fetched: 10/20/2026