The Neumann and Young equations for three-phase contact lines, when one of the phases is a nematic liquid crystal, have been derived using momentum balances and liquid-crystal surface physics models. The Neumann equation for nematic contact lines is a balance of three tension and two bending forces, the latter arising from the characteristic anisotropic surface anchoring of nematic liquid crystal surfaces. For a given interface the bending forces are always orthogonal to the tension forces, and in the presence of a nematic phase the Neumann triangle of isotropic phases becomes the Neumann pentagon. The Young equation for solid–fluid–nematic contact lines differs from the classical equation by a bending force term, which influences the wetting regimes’ transitions, the contact angles, and allows for a novel orientation-induced wetting transition cascade. For a nematic contact line, the partial wetting–spreading transition occurs for positive values of the spreading parameter, and the partial wetting–dewetting transition sets in at values smaller than the classical result. The interval of static contact angles is less than π radians. For a given solid–nematic–isotropic fluid at a fixed temperature, the spreading → partial wetting → spreading → partial wetting → spreading transition cascade may occur when the director at the contact line rotates from the planar to the homeotropic orientation state.