US Laws, Codes, Statutes & Cases

      38-1606a.   Appointment of court-appointed special advocate. (a) In addition to the attorney appointed pursuant to K.S.A. 38-1606 and amendments thereto, the court at any stage of a proceeding pursuant to this code may appoint a volunteer court-appointed special advocate for the child who shall serve until discharged by the court and whose primary duties shall be to advocate the best interests of the child and assist the child in obtaining a permanent, safe and homelike placement. The court-appointed special advocate shall have such qualifications and perform such specific duties and responsibilities as prescribed by rule of the supreme court.

      (b)   Any person participating in a judicial proceeding as a court-appointed special advocate shall be presumed prima facie to be acting in good faith and in so doing shall be immune from any civil liability that otherwise might be incurred or imposed.

      (c)   The supreme court shall promulgate rules governing court-appointed special advocate programs related to proceedings pursuant to this code in the district courts.

      (d)   This section shall be a part of and supplemental to the Kansas juvenile justice code.

      History:   L. 1994, ch. 282, § 9; L. 1996, ch. 229, § 44; July 1, 1997.