§ 23-338 — Illegal contracts; county exempt from liability

No judgment shall hereafter be rendered by any court against any such county in any action brought to recover for any article, public improvement, material, service or labor contracted for or ordered in contravention of any statutory limitation, or when there are or were no funds legally available at the time, with which to pay for the same, or in the absence of a statute expressly authorizing such contract; Provided, that this section and sections 23-336 and 23-337 may not prevent the repairing of any bridge damaged by sudden casualty, when the county board shall first declare that an emergency exists, and give notice of its intention to repair such damage by at least one publication in some newspaper of general circulation in the county.

Legislative History

Source: Laws 1905, c. 55, § 3, p. 302; R.S.1913, § 1106; C.S.1922, § 1040; C.S.1929, § 26-734; R.S.1943, § 23-338. Annotations: This section has no application where county has general authority to contract but the power has been irregularly exercised. Capital Bridge Co. v. County of Saunders, 164 Neb. 304, 83 N.W.2d 18 (1957). Contract of county for purchase of road equipment sustained as legal and valid, and judgment thereon was not in contravention of this section. Omaha Road Equipment Co. v. Thurston County, 122 Neb. 35, 238 N.W. 919 (1931). Prohibition of this section does not extend to money paid to precinct assessors for official services. Hiatt v. Tomlinson, 102 Neb. 730, 169 N.W. 270 (1918). Contracts, by which attorney undertakes collection of dormant judgment for county on contingent basis, is not void because it is for contingent fee. Miles v. Cheyenne County, 96 Neb. 703, 148 N.W. 959 (1914). Where question of failure to give notice by publication of intention to repair was raised for first time on appeal, it will not be considered. Standard Bridge Co. v. Kearney County, 95 Neb. 744, 146 N.W. 943 (1914).