Opinion ID: 2218842
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: waiver of claims

Text: A waiver is the voluntary and intentional relinquishment of a known right, privilege, or claim, and may be demonstrated by or inferred from a person's conduct. State v. Kennedy, 224 Neb. 164, 170, 396 N.W.2d 722, 726 (1986). Accord State v. Clear, 236 Neb. 648, 463 N.W.2d 581 (1990). See, also, Stuhr v. Stuhr, 240 Neb. 239, 481 N.W.2d 212 (1992) (execution of child custody agreement was not irrevocable waiver of parental right to custody). Although LGH and DSS obviously knew that the $100,000 settlement was insufficient to satisfy their individual claims, nothing in the record indicates that LGH and DSS voluntarily or intentionally relinquished their claims for payment from the settlement fund. Consequently, we conclude, as a matter of law, that the district court erred in its finding that LGH and DSS had waived their statutory claims. Because the claims remained in effect, the district court should have determined the priority of claims by LGH and DSS and should not have resorted to Perry's hypothetical award as a basis for a pro rata distribution to the parties.