David E Copple

About David E Copple

Profile: President & Director

Location: Norfolk, Nebraska

Phone: 402-371-4300

Fax: 402-371-0790

David E Copple‘s litigation practice at Copple, Rockey, Schlecht, & Mason is regional in scope. Mr Copple has litigated cases in or represented clients from Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Mr. Copple’s comprehensive practice emphasizes sophisticated litigation for plaintiff and defendant in cases involving personal injury, products liability, corporate-commercial, banking, creditor bankruptcy, securities, wrongful death, and real estate investment trusts.

David E Copple has successfully tried felony criminal cases, a felony manslaughter case and a first degree murder case.

David E Copple’s appellate work has included cases of first impression, addressing significant legal interpretations. Notable cases include determining that a “farmer” qualifies as a “merchant” under the Nebraska Uniform Commercial Code and that a “bank employee” does not fall under the “professional” category for the purposes of the professional malpractice statute of limitations. He has also successfully argued that a named driver exclusion cannot be applied to deny an insured party uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage when the excluded driver was not responsible for the injury and is not seeking coverage.

Additionally, his work has established that a secured creditor can qualify as a good faith purchaser for value and receive priority under Nebraska Uniform Commercial Code, Article IX, over an unpaid seller. He has also played a key role in affirming that state common law theories of negligence and strict liability are preempted by The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act in cases involving “non-applicators” injured by toxic chemical exposure.

David E Copple’s Credentials

Areas of Practice

• Personal Injury
• Products Liability
• Corporate-Commercial
• Banking
• Wrongful Death
• Real Estate

Litigation Percentage

• 85% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Bar Admissions

• Nebraska, 1983
• U.S. District Court District of Nebraska, 1983
• U.S. Court of Appeals 8th Circuit, 1991
• U.S. Supreme Court, 2002

Education

• University of Nebraska College of Law, Lincoln, Nebraska
  • J.D. – 1983
• University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
  • B.S. – 1980
  • Major: Business Administration
  • Major: Economics

Published Works

• Legal Education Articles

Representative Cases

• Roth v. Wiese, 271 Neb. 750, 716 N.W.2d 419 (Nebraska State Court and Supreme Court 2006)
• Laravie v. Battle Creek Mut. Ins. Co., Not Reported in N.W.2d (Nebraska State Court and Court of Appeals 2005)
• Ferden v. Sayler, Not Reported in N.W.2d (Nebraska State Court and Court of Appeals 2004)
• Andersen v. A.M.W., Inc., 266 Neb. 238, 665 N.W.2d 1 (Nebraska State Court and Supreme Court 2003)
• Harold D. Eyl v. Ciba-Geigy Corporation, 264 Neb. 582, 650 N. W. 2d 744 (Nebraska State Court and Supreme Court 2002)
• State v. Dupsky, 10 Neb.App. 650, 635 N.W.2d 539 (Nebraska State Court and Court of Appeals 2001)
• Neiman v. Neiman & Neiman Corp., Not Reported in N.W.2d (Nebraska State Court and Court of Appeals 2001)
• Olson v. Olson, Not Reported in N.W. 2d (Nebraska State Court and Court of Appeals 2001)
• Hood v. AAA Motor Club Ins. Ass’n, 259 Neb. 63, 607 N.W.2d 814 (Nebraska State Court and Supreme Court 2000)
• Maryott v. Oconto Cattle Co., 259 Neb. 41, 607 N.W.2d 820 (Nebraska State Court and Supreme Court 2000)
• Jorgensen v. State Nat. Bank & Trust Co., 255 Neb. 241, 583 N.W.2d 331 (Nebraska State Court and Supreme Court 1998)
• Agrex, Inc. v. Schrant, 221 Neb. 604, 379 N.W.2d 751 (Nebraska State Court and Supreme Court 1986)

Representative Clients

• BankFirst

David E Copple’s References

• BankFirst
• First National Bank Northeast
• Beckenhauer Construction, Inc.

Classes/Seminars

• Presenter, Legal Education Seminars

Honors and Awards

• A.V. Rated by Martindale-Hubbell Rating Services
• Fellow, Nebraska State Bar Foundation
• Top 1% National Association of Distinguished Counsel.

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Member Judicial Nominating Commission – Supreme Court Third
• American Board of Trial Advocates, Past President of the Nebraska Chapter
• The National Trial Lawyers Top 100, Member
• American Judicature Society, Member
• American Bar Association, Member
• Omaha Bar Association, Member
• Madison County Bar Association, Member
• American Association for Justice, Member
• Nebraska Association of Trial Attorneys, Member
• Nebraska State Bar Association, Member
• International Council of Shopping Centers, Past Member
• American Bar Association, Business Law Section
• National Association of Distinguished Counsel (NADC), 2015

Pro Bono Activities

• Boys and Girls Home Past Board Member
• Norfolk, Nebraska Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Chair
• Northeast Community College Foundation, Past President
• University of Nebraska, Alumni Association Member
• University of Nebraska President’s Advisory Committee Member

Fraternities/Sororities

• Phi Delta Theta