38-2267. Procedure upon receipt of request. (a) Upon receiving a petition or motion requesting termination of parental rights or appointment of permanent custodian, the court shall set the time and place for the hearing, which shall be held within 90 days. A continuance shall be granted only if the court finds it is in the best interests of the child. Upon motion of a party, the chief judge shall reassign a petition or motion requesting termination of parental rights from a district magistrate judge to a district judge pursuant to subsection (e) of K.S.A. 20-302b, and amendments thereto.

(b) (1) The court shall give notice of the hearing: (A) To the parties and interested parties, as provided in K.S.A. 38-2236 and 38-2237, and amendments thereto; (B) to all the child's grandparents at their last known addresses or, if no grandparent is living or if no living grandparent's address is known, to the closest relative of each of the child's parents whose address is known; (C) in any case in which a parent of a child cannot be located by the exercise of due diligence, to the parents nearest relative who can be located, if any; and (D) to the foster parents, preadoptive parents or relatives providing care.

(2) This notice shall be given by return receipt delivery not less than 10 business days before the hearing. Individuals receiving notice pursuant to this subsection shall not be made a party or interested party to the action solely on the basis of this notice.

(3) The provisions of this subsection shall not require additional service to any party or interested party who could not be located by the exercise of due diligence in the initial notice of the filing of a petition for a child in need of care.

(c) At the beginning of the hearing the court shall determine that due diligence has been used in determining the identity and location of the persons listed in subsection (b) and in accomplishing service of process.

(d) Prior to a hearing on a petition, a motion requesting termination of parental rights or a motion for appointment of a permanent custodian, the court shall appoint an attorney to represent any parent who fails to appear and may award a reasonable fee to the attorney for services. The fee may be assessed as an expense in the proceedings.

History: L. 2006, ch. 200, § 62; January 1, 2007.