59-2401a. Appealable orders involving proceedings under chapter 59, when; bond. (a) An appeal by an interested party from a district magistrate judge who is not regularly admitted to practice law in Kansas to a district judge may be taken no later than 14 days from any final order, judgment or decree entered in any proceeding pursuant to:

(1) The Kansas adoption and relinquishment act, K.S.A. 59-2111 et seq., and amendments thereto;

(2) the care and treatment act for mentally ill persons, K.S.A. 59-2945 et seq., and amendments thereto;

(3) the care and treatment act for persons with an alcohol or substance abuse problem, K.S.A. 59-29b45 et seq., and amendments thereto; or

(4) the Kansas uniform guardianship, conservatorship and other protective arrangements act, K.S.A. 59-30,101 through 59-30,212, and amendments thereto.

The appeal shall be heard no later than 30 days from the date the notice of appeal is filed. If no record was made of the proceedings, the trial shall be de novo. Except as provided further, if a record was made of the proceedings, the district judge shall conduct the appeal on the record. Upon motion of any party to the proceedings, the district judge may hold a trial de novo.

(b) An appeal by an interested party from a district judge, or a district magistrate judge who is regularly admitted to practice law in Kansas, to an appellate court shall be taken pursuant to article 21 of chapter 60 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, and amendments thereto, from any final order, judgment or decree entered in any proceeding pursuant to:

(1) The Kansas adoption and relinquishment act, K.S.A. 59-2111 et seq., and amendments thereto;

(2) the care and treatment act for mentally ill persons, K.S.A. 59-2945 et seq., and amendments thereto;

(3) the Kansas sexually violent predator act, K.S.A. 59-29a01 et seq., and amendments thereto;

(4) the care and treatment act for persons with an alcohol or substance abuse problem, K.S.A. 59-29b45 et seq., and amendments thereto; or

(5) the Kansas uniform guardianship, conservatorship and other protective arrangements act, K.S.A. 59-30,101 through 59-30,212, and amendments thereto.

Except for appeals under the Kansas judicial review act and cases otherwise specifically provided for by law, appeals under this section shall have priority over all others.

(c) Pending the determination of an appeal pursuant to subsection (a) or (b), any order appealed from shall continue in force unless modified by temporary orders entered by the court hearing the appeal. The supersedeas bond provided for in K.S.A. 60-2103, and amendments thereto, shall not stay proceedings under an appeal from the district court to an appellate court.

(d) In an appeal taken pursuant to subsection (a) or (b), the court from which the appeal is taken may require an appropriate party, other than the state of Kansas, any subdivision thereof, and all cities and counties in this state, to file a bond in such sum and with such sureties as may be fixed and approved by the court to ensure that the appeal will be prosecuted without unnecessary delay and to ensure the payment of all judgments and any sums, damages and costs that may be adjudged against that party.

(e) As used in this section, "interested party" means:

(1) The parent in a proceeding pursuant to the Kansas adoption and relinquishment act, K.S.A. 59-2111 et seq., and amendments thereto;

(2) the patient under the care and treatment act for mentally ill persons, K.S.A. 59-2945 et seq., and amendments thereto;

(3) the patient under the care and treatment act for persons with an alcohol or substance abuse problem, K.S.A. 59-29b45 et seq., and amendments thereto;

(4) the person adjudicated a sexually violent predator under the Kansas sexually violent predator act, K.S.A. 59-29a01 et seq., and amendments thereto;

(5) the ward or conservatee under the Kansas uniform guardianship, conservatorship and other protective arrangements act, K.S.A. 59-30,101 through 59-30,212, and amendments thereto;

(6) the parent of a minor person adjudicated a ward or conservatee under the Kansas uniform guardianship, conservatorship and other protective arrangements act, K.S.A. 59-30,101 through 59-30,212, and amendments thereto;

(7) the petitioner in the case on appeal; and

(8) any other person granted interested party status by the court from which the appeal is being taken.

(f) This section shall be part of and supplemental to the Kansas probate code.

History: L. 2006, ch. 56, § 1; L. 2010, ch. 135, § 59; L. 2014, ch. 71, § 6; L. 2015, ch. 95, § 14; L. 2025, ch. 40, § 150; January 1, 2026.