US Laws, Codes, Statutes & Cases

      38-1652.   Hearings; open to the public; restrictions. (a) The hearing shall be open to the public as to any respondent 16 or more years of age at the time of the alleged offense or as to any respondent less than 16 years of age at the time of the alleged offense except if the judge determines that opening the hearing to the public is not in the best interest of such respondent who is less than 16 years of age.

      (b)   If the court determines that opening the court proceedings to the public is not in the best interest of the respondent, the court may exclude all persons except the respondent, the respondent's parents, attorneys for interested parties, officers of the court, the witness testifying and the victim, as defined in subsection (b) of K.S.A. 74-7333 and amendments thereto or such members of the victim's family, as defined in subsection (b)(2) of K.S.A. 74-7335 and amendments thereto as the court deems appropriate. Upon agreement of all interested parties, the court shall allow other persons to attend the hearing unless the court finds the presence of the persons would be disruptive to the proceedings.

      (c)   As used in this section, "hearings" shall include detention, first appearance, adjudicatory, sentencing and all other hearings held under this code.

      History:   L. 1982, ch. 182, § 95; L. 1993, ch. 166, § 5; L. 1995, ch. 243, § 1; L. 1996, ch. 229, § 73; L. 1997, ch. 156, § 60; July 1.