Kansas Divorce Laws: Residency, Waiting Period, Custody and Support
Kansas divorce rules: residency requirement, grounds, waiting period, filing fee, property division, alimony, custody, child support and uncontested divorce.
Quick answers for Kansas
- Residency requirement
- Either spouse must have actually lived in Kansas for the 60 days before the petition is filed. A person who has lived on or been stationed at a U.S. military post in Kansas for 60 days may file in a county next to the post. K.S.A. 23-2703
- Waiting period
- A divorce cannot be heard until 60 days after the petition is filed, unless the judge declares an emergency in a written order explaining the nature of the emergency and the evidence. K.S.A. 23-2708
- Dividing property
- Kansas uses equitable division. When a divorce or separate maintenance case is filed, all property owned by either spouse, whether owned before the marriage or acquired after, becomes marital property, and the court divides it. K.S.A. 23-2801, 23-2802
- Filing fee
- The total filing fee for a divorce is $195 (Johnson County adds $1.50 and Sedgwick County adds $2.00). A post-judgment motion in a divorce case costs $62. Kansas Judicial Branch Self-Help, District Court Filing Fees
- When child support ends
- Child support ends when the child turns 18 unless: the parents agree in a court-approved written agreement to pay longer; Kan. Stat. Ann. § 23-3001(b)
Last verified: 2026-10-27
Filing for divorce
| Residency requirement | Either spouse must have actually lived in Kansas for the 60 days before the petition is filed. A person who has lived on or been stationed at a U.S. military post in Kansas for 60 days may file in a county next to the post. Source: K.S.A. 23-2703 |
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| Grounds for divorce | The court grants a divorce or separate maintenance for incompatibility (the no-fault ground), failure to perform a material marital duty or obligation, or incompatibility because of a spouse's mental illness or mental incapacity (which requires long-term institutional confinement or a court finding, plus a poor prognosis from at least two of three court-appointed physicians). Source: K.S.A. 23-2701 |
| Waiting period | A divorce cannot be heard until 60 days after the petition is filed, unless the judge declares an emergency in a written order explaining the nature of the emergency and the evidence. Source: K.S.A. 23-2708 |
| Filing fee | The total filing fee for a divorce is $195 (Johnson County adds $1.50 and Sedgwick County adds $2.00). A post-judgment motion in a divorce case costs $62. If you cannot pay, you can file a Poverty Affidavit to ask the judge to waive all or part of the fees. |
| Uncontested or simplified divorce | Kansas has no separate simplified divorce. If the spouses agree on dividing property, debts and real estate and on a parenting plan, they write out their agreement, contact the court for a final hearing, and bring the forms and a blank Decree of Divorce; the judge may ask questions before approving it. A separation agreement the court finds valid, just and equitable is incorporated into the decree. |
Property and alimony
| Dividing property | Kansas uses equitable division. When a divorce or separate maintenance case is filed, all property owned by either spouse, whether owned before the marriage or acquired after, becomes marital property, and the court divides it. Factors include the spouses' ages, length of the marriage, the property owned, present and future earning capacities, the time, source and manner in which property was acquired, family ties and obligations, any maintenance, dissipation of assets, and tax consequences. Source: K.S.A. 23-2801, 23-2802 |
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| Alimony (spousal support) | The court may award maintenance (future support) to either spouse in an amount that is fair, just and equitable under all the circumstances, paid in a lump sum, in periodic payments, as a percentage of earnings, or otherwise. The court may not award maintenance for more than 121 months, though the decree may allow later motions for reinstatement (each period up to 121 months). Source: K.S.A. 23-2902, 23-2904 |
Children: custody and support
| Child custody | Legal custody, residency, and parenting time are decided by the child's best interests. Joint legal custody is listed first in order of preference; if the court orders sole legal custody it must state specific findings. Factors include each parent's role before and after separation, the parents' wishes, the wishes of a child of sufficient age and maturity, the child's needs and relationships, adjustment to home and school, each parent's willingness to support the child's bond with the other parent, domestic abuse, the parents' ability to cooperate, schedules and locations, and sex-offender or child-abuse issues. No specific age is set for the child's preference. An agreed parenting plan is presumed to be in the child's best interests. |
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| Emergency and temporary custody | Under Kansas's interstate custody law, a Kansas court has temporary emergency jurisdiction if the child is present in Kansas and has been abandoned, or emergency action is needed to protect the child because the child, a sibling or a parent is being mistreated or abused or threatened with it. If another state has jurisdiction, the Kansas order lasts only for the period the court sets so an order can be obtained from that state. Source: Kan. Stat. Ann. § 23-37,204 |
| Parenting class or mediation | Kansas has no single statewide requirement; if your court's local rules require it, you must attend any required parenting, co-parenting, or divorce class. If spouses do not agree, they may go to mediation voluntarily or one may ask the court to order it. |
| Grandparents' rights | Since 2024, Kansas follows the Uniform Nonparent Visitation Act, which covers grandparents, siblings, stepparents, and others. A parent's decision about visitation is presumed to be in the child's best interest. A nonparent can get visitation only by proving, by clear and convincing evidence, that denying visitation would harm the child, that they have been a consistent caretaker within the past year or have a substantial relationship with the child, and that visitation is in the child's best interest. Proof that the parent is unfit is not required. The former grandparent visitation statute, K.S.A. 23-3301, was repealed in 2024. |
Child support
| Child support | Support is set using the Kansas Child Support Guidelines (effective July 1, 2025). A schedule based on the parents' combined child support income, the number of children, and their ages gives the gross obligation, and each parent pays a proportionate share of combined income, plus shares of health insurance and work-related child care. The court may allow a parenting time adjustment or use a shared residency formula. The Judicial Branch provides the official Child Support Worksheet. No official online calculator link was verified; the fillable Child Support Worksheet is published by the Kansas Judicial Branch. |
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| When child support ends | Child support ends when the child turns 18 unless: the parents agree in a court-approved written agreement to pay longer; the child turns 18 before finishing high school and is still attending, in which case support continues automatically (unless the court orders otherwise) until June 30 of that school year; or the child is still a bona fide high school student after that June 30, in which case the court, on motion, may continue support through the school year in which the child turns 19, if the parents jointly took part in or knowingly accepted the decision that delayed the child's graduation. Source: Kan. Stat. Ann. § 23-3001(b) |
| Changing a child support order | Within three years after the original order or the last modification, a court may modify child support (including in state child support cases) only when a material change in circumstances is shown; after three years, no material change needs to be shown. A change can be made retroactive to the first day of the month after the motion to modify is filed. Under the Kansas Child Support Guidelines, a change that would raise or lower the basic support obligation by 10%, or a change in the child's age group, is a material change that warrants review; non-historical second-job or overtime income of the nonresidential parent, irregular bonuses, and an increase in the residential parent's income generally do not count on their own. Guidelines: https://kscourts.gov/KSCourts/media/KsCourts/Child%20Support%20Guidelines/2024-Child-Support-Guidlines-adopted-July-1-2025-clean.pdf |
| If child support isn't paid | Every new or modified support order must include an income withholding provision. In state child support (Title IV-D) cases, the Kansas Department for Children and Families can order minimum payments toward arrears, levy a parent's cash assets (such as bank accounts) when arrears exist, and ask the Department of Revenue to restrict the driving privileges of a parent who owes past-due support or fails to comply with a subpoena, after notice and a chance for a hearing. A court can also hold a parent in indirect contempt for violating a support order after a motion and affidavit and an order to appear and show cause. Levy: https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch39/039_007_0150.html; driving privileges: https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch39/039_007_0155.html; contempt: https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch20/020_012_0004a.html |
| State child support agency | Kansas Child Support Services (CSS), a program of the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF), works with both parents under a child support order. It automatically serves families receiving TANF, Food Assistance, Child Care Assistance, foster care or medical benefits, and any family can apply regardless of income; services are at no cost to families. Enroll online at CSSApply.dcf.ks.gov or download the paper enrollment form. Child Support Service Center: 1-888-757-2445; Customer Service: 1-833-765-2003; TTY: 1-785-296-1491. |
Separation, annulment, records and marriage
| Legal separation | Yes. Kansas calls it separate maintenance. It is granted on the same grounds as divorce, and the decree may divide property and order support without ending the marriage. Source: K.S.A. 23-2701, 23-2711 |
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| Annulment | The court must annul a marriage that is void for any reason or that was induced by fraud. It may also annul a marriage induced by mistake of fact, lack of knowledge of a material fact, or any other reason that would justify rescinding a marriage contract. Source: K.S.A. 23-2702 |
| Common-law marriage | Kansas continues to recognize common-law marriage, but not if either party is under 18 years of age. The statute only bars recognition where a party is under 18; the general recognition of common-law marriage comes from Kansas case law. Source: K.S.A. 23-2502 |
| Changing your name after divorce | On a spouse's request, the court must restore that spouse's former name, either when the divorce becomes final or later. A spouse may also ask the court to change their name to a different name. The Judicial Council provides a form for this. Source: K.S.A. 23-2716 |
Marriage and name changes
| Getting a marriage license | A marriage license is issued by the clerk or a judge of the district court; in Kansas you can apply online through the Judicial Branch's statewide marriage license application, and you only need an email address and the personal details the form asks for. The Kansas Judicial Branch says you do not have to submit documents or show identification to apply, and that signing the online application electronically counts as appearing before the clerk. By law the license cannot be issued before the third calendar day after the application is filed, unless a judge allows it sooner in an emergency; the Judicial Branch says to allow at least two weeks for processing. The license expires six months after it is issued. The Judicial Branch lists the license cost as $85.50, plus a card or e-check processing charge. After the ceremony, the officiant must return the license to the issuing court within 10 days. K.S.A. 23-2510 sets a base license fee of $59 and allows a separate Supreme Court charge for court staffing; the $85.50 figure is the total the Judicial Branch currently lists. |
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| Minimum marriage age | A license will not be issued to anyone under 16, except that a district judge may consent for a 15-year-old after investigation if the marriage is in that person's best interest. A 16- or 17-year-old needs the written consent of a parent or legal guardian plus the judge's consent; the judge's consent is not needed if both parents (or all living parents) and any legal guardian consent. If a 16- or 17-year-old's parents have died and there is no guardian, a judge may consent. Kansas does not recognize a common-law marriage if either party is under 18. Source: K.S.A. 23-2505(c), 23-2502 |
| Legal name change | An adult files a petition in the district court of the county where he or she lives, stating that the petitioner has lived in Kansas at least 60 days, the reason for the change and the name wanted. The court decides whether notice of the hearing is given by mail or by newspaper publication. If the judge finds the petition is true and there is reasonable cause, the judge orders the change. A new name can also be chosen on the marriage license application at the time of marriage. Source: K.S.A. 60-1401, 60-1402; 23-2506 |
Adoption, guardianship and paternity
| Adoption requirements | Any adult, or a married couple jointly, may adopt a minor or an adult, but a married person needs the other spouse's consent. In an independent adoption, consent generally comes from the child's living parents (or a guardian or court in some situations), and a child over 14 of sound intellect must also consent; in an agency adoption, the agency consents along with a child over 14. A birth mother cannot give consent until 12 hours after the birth. In independent and agency adoptions, the court requires an assessment (home study) by a court-approved licensed professional or child-placing agency, completed within one year before the petition; the court may waive it on a relative's petition or on its own motion. A nonresident adopting in Kansas must have the assessment done in his or her home state. Out-of-state placements must follow the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children. Consent rules: https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch59/059_021_0029.html ; assessment: https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch59/059_021_0032.html |
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| Stepparent adoption | A stepparent adoption is the adoption of a minor child by the spouse of a parent, with that parent's consent. The other living parent must also consent unless the court finds consent unnecessary. The court can find it unnecessary, by clear and convincing evidence, on grounds such as abandonment or neglect, unfitness, no reasonable efforts to support or communicate with the child, or failing or refusing to assume the duties of a parent for the two consecutive years before the petition was filed (knowingly failing to pay a substantial portion of court-ordered support for two years, when able to, creates a presumption of this). The statute that requires a court-ordered assessment lists independent and agency adoptions; stepparent adoptions are a separate category under the law. |
| Guardianship of a child | Since January 1, 2026, guardianship is governed by the Kansas Uniform Guardianship, Conservatorship and Other Protective Arrangements Act. Any person interested in a minor's welfare, including the minor, may file a verified petition in district court, generally in the county where the minor lives or is present. After a hearing, the court may appoint a guardian if it is in the minor's best interest and each parent consents, parental rights have been terminated, there is clear and convincing evidence that the parents are unwilling, unable or unfit, or there is clear and convincing evidence of highly unusual or extraordinary circumstances. The court must appoint an attorney for the minor and may appoint one for a parent. The Kansas Judicial Branch lists the guardianship filing fee (adult or minor) as $91.50: https://self-help.kscourts.gov/Fees |
| Guardianship of an adult | A person interested in an adult's welfare, including the adult, may petition the district court. The court may appoint a guardian only if it finds by clear and convincing evidence that the adult cannot meet essential needs for physical health, safety or self-care because he or she cannot receive and evaluate information or make or communicate decisions, even with supportive services, technology or supported decision-making, and that the needs cannot be met by a protective arrangement or another less restrictive alternative. The court may not order a full guardianship if a limited guardianship or other less restrictive alternative would work. The law names less restrictive alternatives including supported decision-making, technological assistance, a representative payee, and powers of attorney for health care or finances. The court must appoint an attorney for the adult. The prior Kansas guardianship act (K.S.A. 59-3050 et seq.) was repealed effective January 1, 2026. |
| Establishing paternity | Unmarried parents can establish paternity voluntarily by signing an acknowledgment of paternity; birthing hospitals must take part in a hospital-based acknowledgment program, and the state registrar of vital statistics also provides acknowledgment services. A signed acknowledgment creates a presumption of paternity. A child or someone on the child's behalf may also file a parentage action in district court; the state child support agency may file too. When paternity is disputed in court, the court must order genetic testing on request, and results showing a 97% or greater probability create a presumption of paternity. The man named, the mother or the child may bring a court action to revoke an acknowledgment until one year after the child's birth (a signer who was a minor has until one year after turning 18). Unless the action is filed within 60 days after signing or before an earlier court proceeding about the child, the person must prove fraud, duress or a material mistake of fact. Acknowledgment form contents: https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch23/023_022_0004.html |
| Emancipation of a minor | Kansas does not use the term emancipation in its statutes, but a district court can grant a minor the "rights of majority" for contracts and property. The minor files through a next friend in the county where the minor has lived for at least one year, stating the minor's age and the reason. Notice must be published for three consecutive weeks, with the hearing at least 30 days after first publication. If the court finds the minor is of sound mind, able to handle his or her own affairs, and would benefit, it may grant the minor the power to own and dispose of property, make contracts, and sue and be sued as an adult. No minimum age is stated. Separately, a person 16 or older who is or has been married is treated as an adult for contracts, property, liabilities and lawsuits. Source: K.S.A. 38-101, 38-108, 38-109 |
Where to get help in Kansas
Divorce & Family Law FAQ
How long do you have to live in Kansas to file for divorce?
Either spouse must have actually lived in Kansas for the 60 days before the petition is filed. A person who has lived on or been stationed at a U.S. military post in Kansas for 60 days may file in a county next to the post.
Is Kansas a no-fault divorce state?
The court grants a divorce or separate maintenance for incompatibility (the no-fault ground), failure to perform a material marital duty or obligation, or incompatibility because of a spouse's mental illness or mental incapacity (which requires long-term institutional confinement or a court finding, plus a poor prognosis from at least two of three court-appointed physicians).
Is there a waiting period for divorce in Kansas?
A divorce cannot be heard until 60 days after the petition is filed, unless the judge declares an emergency in a written order explaining the nature of the emergency and the evidence.
How much does it cost to file for divorce in Kansas?
The total filing fee for a divorce is $195 (Johnson County adds $1.50 and Sedgwick County adds $2.00). A post-judgment motion in a divorce case costs $62. If you cannot pay, you can file a Poverty Affidavit to ask the judge to waive all or part of the fees.
How do you get an uncontested divorce in Kansas?
Kansas has no separate simplified divorce. If the spouses agree on dividing property, debts and real estate and on a parenting plan, they write out their agreement, contact the court for a final hearing, and bring the forms and a blank Decree of Divorce; the judge may ask questions before approving it. A separation agreement the court finds valid, just and equitable is incorporated into the decree.
Is Kansas a community property state?
Kansas uses equitable division. When a divorce or separate maintenance case is filed, all property owned by either spouse, whether owned before the marriage or acquired after, becomes marital property, and the court divides it. Factors include the spouses' ages, length of the marriage, the property owned, present and future earning capacities, the time, source and manner in which property was acquired, family ties and obligations, any maintenance, dissipation of assets, and tax consequences.
How is alimony decided in Kansas?
The court may award maintenance (future support) to either spouse in an amount that is fair, just and equitable under all the circumstances, paid in a lump sum, in periodic payments, as a percentage of earnings, or otherwise. The court may not award maintenance for more than 121 months, though the decree may allow later motions for reinstatement (each period up to 121 months).
How is child custody decided in Kansas?
Legal custody, residency, and parenting time are decided by the child's best interests. Joint legal custody is listed first in order of preference; if the court orders sole legal custody it must state specific findings. Factors include each parent's role before and after separation, the parents' wishes, the wishes of a child of sufficient age and maturity, the child's needs and relationships, adjustment to home and school, each parent's willingness to support the child's bond with the other parent, domestic abuse, the parents' ability to cooperate, schedules and locations, and sex-offender or child-abuse issues. No specific age is set for the child's preference. An agreed parenting plan is presumed to be in the child's best interests.
How is child support calculated in Kansas?
Support is set using the Kansas Child Support Guidelines (effective July 1, 2025). A schedule based on the parents' combined child support income, the number of children, and their ages gives the gross obligation, and each parent pays a proportionate share of combined income, plus shares of health insurance and work-related child care. The court may allow a parenting time adjustment or use a shared residency formula. The Judicial Branch provides the official Child Support Worksheet.
Do you have to take a parenting class to divorce in Kansas?
Kansas has no single statewide requirement; if your court's local rules require it, you must attend any required parenting, co-parenting, or divorce class. If spouses do not agree, they may go to mediation voluntarily or one may ask the court to order it.
Can you get a legal separation in Kansas?
Yes. Kansas calls it separate maintenance. It is granted on the same grounds as divorce, and the decree may divide property and order support without ending the marriage.
What are the grounds for annulment in Kansas?
The court must annul a marriage that is void for any reason or that was induced by fraud. It may also annul a marriage induced by mistake of fact, lack of knowledge of a material fact, or any other reason that would justify rescinding a marriage contract.
Does Kansas recognize common-law marriage?
Kansas continues to recognize common-law marriage, but not if either party is under 18 years of age.
Do grandparents have visitation rights in Kansas?
Since 2024, Kansas follows the Uniform Nonparent Visitation Act, which covers grandparents, siblings, stepparents, and others. A parent's decision about visitation is presumed to be in the child's best interest. A nonparent can get visitation only by proving, by clear and convincing evidence, that denying visitation would harm the child, that they have been a consistent caretaker within the past year or have a substantial relationship with the child, and that visitation is in the child's best interest. Proof that the parent is unfit is not required.
How do you change your name back after a divorce in Kansas?
On a spouse's request, the court must restore that spouse's former name, either when the divorce becomes final or later. A spouse may also ask the court to change their name to a different name. The Judicial Council provides a form for this.
At what age does child support end in Kansas?
Child support ends when the child turns 18 unless: the parents agree in a court-approved written agreement to pay longer; the child turns 18 before finishing high school and is still attending, in which case support continues automatically (unless the court orders otherwise) until June 30 of that school year; or the child is still a bona fide high school student after that June 30, in which case the court, on motion, may continue support through the school year in which the child turns 19, if the parents jointly took part in or knowingly accepted the decision that delayed the child's graduation.
What happens if you don't pay child support in Kansas?
Every new or modified support order must include an income withholding provision. In state child support (Title IV-D) cases, the Kansas Department for Children and Families can order minimum payments toward arrears, levy a parent's cash assets (such as bank accounts) when arrears exist, and ask the Department of Revenue to restrict the driving privileges of a parent who owes past-due support or fails to comply with a subpoena, after notice and a chance for a hearing. A court can also hold a parent in indirect contempt for violating a support order after a motion and affidavit and an order to appear and show cause.
How do you modify child support in Kansas?
Within three years after the original order or the last modification, a court may modify child support (including in state child support cases) only when a material change in circumstances is shown; after three years, no material change needs to be shown. A change can be made retroactive to the first day of the month after the motion to modify is filed. Under the Kansas Child Support Guidelines, a change that would raise or lower the basic support obligation by 10%, or a change in the child's age group, is a material change that warrants review; non-historical second-job or overtime income of the nonresidential parent, irregular bonuses, and an increase in the residential parent's income generally do not count on their own.
How do you get emergency custody in Kansas?
Under Kansas's interstate custody law, a Kansas court has temporary emergency jurisdiction if the child is present in Kansas and has been abandoned, or emergency action is needed to protect the child because the child, a sibling or a parent is being mistreated or abused or threatened with it. If another state has jurisdiction, the Kansas order lasts only for the period the court sets so an order can be obtained from that state.
How do you get a marriage license in Kansas?
A marriage license is issued by the clerk or a judge of the district court; in Kansas you can apply online through the Judicial Branch's statewide marriage license application, and you only need an email address and the personal details the form asks for. The Kansas Judicial Branch says you do not have to submit documents or show identification to apply, and that signing the online application electronically counts as appearing before the clerk. By law the license cannot be issued before the third calendar day after the application is filed, unless a judge allows it sooner in an emergency; the Judicial Branch says to allow at least two weeks for processing. The license expires six months after it is issued. The Judicial Branch lists the license cost as $85.50, plus a card or e-check processing charge. After the ceremony, the officiant must return the license to the issuing court within 10 days.
What is the legal age to get married in Kansas?
A license will not be issued to anyone under 16, except that a district judge may consent for a 15-year-old after investigation if the marriage is in that person's best interest. A 16- or 17-year-old needs the written consent of a parent or legal guardian plus the judge's consent; the judge's consent is not needed if both parents (or all living parents) and any legal guardian consent. If a 16- or 17-year-old's parents have died and there is no guardian, a judge may consent. Kansas does not recognize a common-law marriage if either party is under 18.
What are the requirements to adopt a child in Kansas?
Any adult, or a married couple jointly, may adopt a minor or an adult, but a married person needs the other spouse's consent. In an independent adoption, consent generally comes from the child's living parents (or a guardian or court in some situations), and a child over 14 of sound intellect must also consent; in an agency adoption, the agency consents along with a child over 14. A birth mother cannot give consent until 12 hours after the birth. In independent and agency adoptions, the court requires an assessment (home study) by a court-approved licensed professional or child-placing agency, completed within one year before the petition; the court may waive it on a relative's petition or on its own motion. A nonresident adopting in Kansas must have the assessment done in his or her home state. Out-of-state placements must follow the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children.
How does stepparent adoption work in Kansas?
A stepparent adoption is the adoption of a minor child by the spouse of a parent, with that parent's consent. The other living parent must also consent unless the court finds consent unnecessary. The court can find it unnecessary, by clear and convincing evidence, on grounds such as abandonment or neglect, unfitness, no reasonable efforts to support or communicate with the child, or failing or refusing to assume the duties of a parent for the two consecutive years before the petition was filed (knowingly failing to pay a substantial portion of court-ordered support for two years, when able to, creates a presumption of this). The statute that requires a court-ordered assessment lists independent and agency adoptions; stepparent adoptions are a separate category under the law.
How do you get guardianship of a child in Kansas?
Since January 1, 2026, guardianship is governed by the Kansas Uniform Guardianship, Conservatorship and Other Protective Arrangements Act. Any person interested in a minor's welfare, including the minor, may file a verified petition in district court, generally in the county where the minor lives or is present. After a hearing, the court may appoint a guardian if it is in the minor's best interest and each parent consents, parental rights have been terminated, there is clear and convincing evidence that the parents are unwilling, unable or unfit, or there is clear and convincing evidence of highly unusual or extraordinary circumstances. The court must appoint an attorney for the minor and may appoint one for a parent.
How do you get guardianship of an adult in Kansas?
A person interested in an adult's welfare, including the adult, may petition the district court. The court may appoint a guardian only if it finds by clear and convincing evidence that the adult cannot meet essential needs for physical health, safety or self-care because he or she cannot receive and evaluate information or make or communicate decisions, even with supportive services, technology or supported decision-making, and that the needs cannot be met by a protective arrangement or another less restrictive alternative. The court may not order a full guardianship if a limited guardianship or other less restrictive alternative would work. The law names less restrictive alternatives including supported decision-making, technological assistance, a representative payee, and powers of attorney for health care or finances. The court must appoint an attorney for the adult.
How do you establish paternity in Kansas?
Unmarried parents can establish paternity voluntarily by signing an acknowledgment of paternity; birthing hospitals must take part in a hospital-based acknowledgment program, and the state registrar of vital statistics also provides acknowledgment services. A signed acknowledgment creates a presumption of paternity. A child or someone on the child's behalf may also file a parentage action in district court; the state child support agency may file too. When paternity is disputed in court, the court must order genetic testing on request, and results showing a 97% or greater probability create a presumption of paternity. The man named, the mother or the child may bring a court action to revoke an acknowledgment until one year after the child's birth (a signer who was a minor has until one year after turning 18). Unless the action is filed within 60 days after signing or before an earlier court proceeding about the child, the person must prove fraud, duress or a material mistake of fact.
How do you legally change your name in Kansas?
An adult files a petition in the district court of the county where he or she lives, stating that the petitioner has lived in Kansas at least 60 days, the reason for the change and the name wanted. The court decides whether notice of the hearing is given by mail or by newspaper publication. If the judge finds the petition is true and there is reasonable cause, the judge orders the change. A new name can also be chosen on the marriage license application at the time of marriage.
How does a minor get emancipated in Kansas?
Kansas does not use the term emancipation in its statutes, but a district court can grant a minor the "rights of majority" for contracts and property. The minor files through a next friend in the county where the minor has lived for at least one year, stating the minor's age and the reason. Notice must be published for three consecutive weeks, with the hearing at least 30 days after first publication. If the court finds the minor is of sound mind, able to handle his or her own affairs, and would benefit, it may grant the minor the power to own and dispose of property, make contracts, and sue and be sued as an adult. No minimum age is stated. Separately, a person 16 or older who is or has been married is treated as an adult for contracts, property, liabilities and lawsuits.
Who handles child support in Kansas, and how do I contact them?
Kansas Child Support Services (CSS), a program of the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF), works with both parents under a child support order. It automatically serves families receiving TANF, Food Assistance, Child Care Assistance, foster care or medical benefits, and any family can apply regardless of income; services are at no cost to families. Enroll online at CSSApply.dcf.ks.gov or download the paper enrollment form. Child Support Service Center: 1-888-757-2445; Customer Service: 1-833-765-2003; TTY: 1-785-296-1491.
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