Can a Nebraska court refuse to terminate parental rights even after serious misconduct? Yes, and the answer is more nuanced than many parents expect. In this Nebraska family law update, we break down Dunham v. Dunham and explain why the Court of Appeals affirmed dismissal of a petition to terminate parental rights despite serious facts in the record. The article walks through what Nebraska law actually requires, how best interests differs from statutory grounds, how incarceration fits into the analysis, and why termination is treated as an extraordinary remedy rather than a default solution in every difficult custody case.

What would really happen if Home Alone took place in Nebraska instead of Hollywood? While the movie plays it for laughs, Nebraska law treats leaving a child home alone as a serious legal issue. Parents could face a CPS investigation, criminal child neglect charges, and lasting consequences in custody or parenting time cases. Nebraska has no set legal age for staying home alone, so courts and child welfare officials look at the totality of the circumstances—age, safety, supervision, and risk. This article breaks down how Nebraska law actually handles these situations and explains the practical steps parents can take to protect their family before travel or emergencies.