Studies and Reports

The Judicial Council’s mission is to study the administration of justice in Kansas and make recommendations for improvement. In furtherance of this mission, the Judicial Council conducts a variety of studies. This archive contains many of the studies and reports completed by the Judicial Council in recent years.

2025

• Report of the Guardianship & Conservatorship Advisory Committee on Supported Decision-Making and 2023 H.B. 2345. (December 2025)
• Report of the JO/CINC Advisory Committee on the Child in Need of Care Guardian ad litem System. (December 2025)
• Report of the Ad Hoc Advisory Committee on Municipal Defendant Competency and 2024 S.B. 448. (June 2025)

2024

• Report of the Civil Code Advisory Committee on 2024 H.B. 2593 regarding the Uniform Arbitration Act and Contracts of Insurance. (December 2024)
• Report of the Criminal Law Advisory Committee on 2024 H.B. 2630 regarding Admissibility of Previous Domestic Violence Offenses Under K.S.A. 60-455. (December 2024)
• Report of the Guardianship and Conservatorship Advisory Committee regarding UAGPPJA and UGCOPAA. (December 2024)

2023

• Report of the Civil Asset Forfeiture Advisory Committee on 2023 H.B. 2380. (December 2023)
• Report of the Family Law Advisory Committee regarding the Uniform Nonparent Custody and Visitation Act. (December 2023)
• Report of the Probate Law Advisory Committee regarding the Proposed Repeal of K.S.A. 59-505. (December 2023)
• Report of the Adoption Law Advisory Committee regarding Termination of Parental Rights Under K.S.A. 59-2136(d). (December 2023)

2022

• Report of the Family Law Advisory Committee regarding the Kansas Protection Order Acts. (December 2022)
• Report of the Probate Law Advisory Committee regarding the Publication Notice and Hearing Dates in K.S.A. 59-2209. (December 2022)
• Report of the Probate Law Advisory Committee on 2022 S.B. 400 Provisions Relating to Trust Decanting and the Rule Against Perpetuities. (December 2022)
• Report of the Probate Law Advisory Committee regarding Dollar Amounts in the Probate Code. (December 2022)
• Report of the Probate Law Advisory Committee regarding the Uniform Trust Decanting Act. (December 2022)
• Report of the JO/CINC Advisory Committee on the Consideration of Attachment When Selecting an Adoptive Resource for a Child in the CINC System. (December 2022)
• Report of the Criminal Law Advisory Committee on No-Knock Warrants. (December 2022)
• Report of the Criminal Law Advisory Committee on Rebuttable Presumptions in Criminal Statutes. (December 2022)
• Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on Adult Care Home Involuntary Transfer or Discharge Appeals Committee. (December 2022)
• Report of the Adoption Law Advisory Committee regarding Notice to Parents in Agency Adoptions. (December 2022)
• Report of the Civil Code Advisory Committee regarding the Time for a Defendant Served Outside the State to File a Responsive Pleading under the Code of Civil Procedure. (December 2022)

2021

• Report of the Criminal Law Advisory Committee on Automatic Expungement and 2021 H.B. 2226. (December 2021)
• Report of the JO/CINC Advisory Committee on Juvenile Expungement. (December 2021)
• Report of the Family Law Advisory Committee regarding the Uniform Parentage Act (2017). (December 2021)

2020

• Final Report of the DUI Advisory Committee. (December 2020)
• Final Report of the Advisory Committee on Sex Offenses and Registration. (December 2020)
• Report of the Criminal Law Advisory Committee on Expungement and Unpaid Costs, Fees, Fines, and Restitution. (December 2020)
• Report of the Advisory Committee on 2020 H.B. 2600 on Contracts for Deed. (December 2020)
• Report of the Civil Code Advisory Committee on 2019 H.B. 2306 regarding the statute of limitations on civil actions for recovery of damages resulting from childhood sexual abuse. (December 2020)
• Report of the DUI Advisory Committee on Ignition Interlock and Motorized Bicycle Licenses. (January 2020)
• Report of the Family Law Advisory Committee on the Termination of Parental Rights When a Child is Conceived by Sexual Assault. (January 2020)

2019

• Report of the Criminal Law Advisory Committee on 2019 S.B. 154 and 2019 S.B. 227 relating to human trafficking victims. (December 2019)
• Report of the JO/CINC Advisory Committee on Crossover Youth. (December 2019)
• Report of the Probate Law Advisory Committee on the Uniform Fiduciary Income and Principal Act (UFIPA). (December 2019)
• Report of the Advisory Committee on Disability Access regarding 2019 H.B. 2152 and the White Cane Law. (December 2019)
• Report of the Advisory Committee on Sex Offenses and Registration on 2018 H.B. 2738, 2018 H.B. 2739, 2018 S.B. 265, and drug offender registration requirements. (December 2019)
• Supplemental Report of the Advisory Committee on Sex Offenses and Registration on offender registration. (December 2019)
• Report of the Advisory Committee on Commitment of Incompetent Defendants Under K.S.A. 22-3303 regarding the statutes governing competency to stand trial. (December 2019)
• Report of the Advisory Committee on Evidence regarding amendments to the Kansas rules of evidence. (December 2019)

2018

• Report of the Criminal Law Advisory Committee on 2018 H.B. 2571 and 2018 S.B. 360 relating to the disclosure of criminal investigation records, including body and vehicle recordings, under the Kansas Open Records Act. (December 2018)
• Report of the JO/CINC Advisory Committee on 2018 H.B. 2751 establishing the office of the child advocate. (December 2018)
• Report of the Family Law Advisory Committee on 2018 H.B. 2529 and 2018 S.B. 257 relating to a presumption to equal parenting time. (December 2018)
• Report of Advisory Committee on Judicial Residency regarding the residency requirements for judges. (December 2018)
• Report of Probate Law Advisory Committee on 2017 H.B. 2350 regarding the spousal elective share. (December 2018)

2017

• Report of the Advisory Committee on 2016 H.B. 2639 relating to enacting the Emergency Observation and Treatment Act. (January 2017)
• Report of the Criminal Law Advisory Committee on 2016 H.B. 2593 regarding the recording of custodial interrogations. (January 2017)
• Report of the Criminal Law Advisory Committee on 2016 H.B. 2465 regarding the standards for competency to stand trial in K.S.A. 22-3301. (January 2017)
• Report of the Criminal Law Advisory Committee on 2017 H.B. 2352 regarding the admissibility of certain misdemeanor juvenile adjudications for the purpose of impeachment of a witness. (October 2017)
• Report of the Criminal Law Advisory Committee on 2017 H.B. 2070 and 2017 H.B. 2070 as amended, which proposed to protect certain records received or maintained by the Kansas Commission on Peace Officers’ Standards and Training from disclosure under the Kansas Open Records Act. (December 2017)
• Report of the Juvenile Offender/Child in Need of Care Advisory Committee regarding juvenile crisis intervention. (December 2017)
• Report of the Civil Asset Forfeiture Advisory Committee regarding civil asset forfeiture. (December 2017)

2016

• Report of the Civil Code Advisory Committee regarding 2015 and 2016 amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. (December 2016)
• Report of the Family Law Advisory Committee on 2016 S.B. 393 relating to K.S.A. 23-3203 and the consideration of domestic abuse when determining custody, residency, and parenting time. (December 2016)
• Report of the Advisory Committee on K.S.A. 59-29a11 regarding residency restrictions for sexually violent predators on transitional or conditional release. (December 2016)
• Report of the Probate Law Advisory Committee on the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act. (June and December 2016)

2015

• Report of the Criminal Law Advisory Committee on 2015 H.B. 2289 relating to the administrative hearing process for drivers license suspensions. (December 2015)
• Report of the Civil Code Advisory Committee on 2015 S.B. 16 relating to the award of attorney fees in certain actions against insurance companies. (December 2015)
• Report of the Criminal Law Advisory Committee on 2015 Substitute for S.B. 18 relating to police body cameras. (December 2015)
• Report of the Juvenile Offender/Child in Need of Care Advisory Committee on 2015 S.B. 159, which would enact the Safe Families Act. (December 2015)
• Report of the Open Records Advisory Committee on 2015 S.B. 306 and 2015 S.B. 307 relating to the application of the Kansas Open Records Act to emails concerning public business sent by public officials from private email accounts. (December 2015)
• Joint Report of the Civil Code and Criminal Law Advisory Committees on 2015 H.B. 2114 relating to subpoenas of nonparty business records under K.S.A. 60-245a. (December 2015)
• Joint Report of the Civil Code and Criminal Law Advisory Committees on 2015 H.B. 2302, which would enact the Kansas right to financial privacy act. (December 2015)

2014

• Report of the Death Penalty Advisory Committee on the costs of death penalty litigation in Kansas. (February 2014)
• Report of the Criminal Law Advisory Committee on 2014 H.B. 2712 relating to amendments to the domestic battery statute. (December 2014)
• Report of the Probate Law Advisory Committee on 2014 S.B. 355 relating to the Kansas Power of Attorney Act. (December 2014)
• Report of the Scrap Metal Theft Advisory Committee on 2014 S.B. 418. (December 2014)
• Report of the Juvenile Offender/Child in Need of Care Committee on 2014 Substitute for S.B. 394 relating to legal rights of foster parents. (November 2014)

2013

• Report of the Administrative Procedure Advisory Committee on the appropriate role of non-attorney tax consultants in proceedings before the Kansas Court of Tax Appeals. (December 2013)
• Report of the Child Death Review Board Advisory Committee on 2013 S.B. 77. (December 2013)
• Report of the Criminal Law Advisory Committee on prepaid mobile device registration. (December 2013)
• Report of the Criminal Law Advisory Committee on 2013 S.B. 66. (December 2013)
• Report of the Agricultural Corporations Advisory Committee on Kansas agricultural corporations statutes. (December 2013)

2012

• Report of the Antitrust Advisory Committee regarding the rule of reason in interpretation of the Kansas Restraint of Trade Act. (December 2012)
• Report of the Supreme Court Rules Advisory Committee on restyling of District Court Rules and Appellate Court Rules. (May 2012)

2011

2010

• Report of the Criminal Law Advisory Committee on a proposal to remove felony murder from the first degree murder statute and place it in its own statute. (December 2010)
• Report of the Criminal Law Advisory Committee on 2010 H.B. 2502 proposing a Child Witness Protection Act. (December 2010)
• Report of the Family Law Advisory Committee on 2010 S.B. 522 relating to step-parent adoptions. (December 2010)
• Report of the Juvenile Offender/Child in Need of Care Advisory Committee on 2010 H.B. 2603 relating to expungement of juvenile records. (December 2010)
• Report of the Lien Law Advisory Committee on 2010 S.B. 469. (December 2010)
• Report of the Probate Law Advisory Committee and Family Law Advisory Committee on a proposal to abolish common law marriage. (December 2010)
• Report of the Probate Law Advisory Committee on 2010 H.B. 2514 relating to trusts. (December 2010)
• Report of the Probate Law Advisory Committee on 2010 H.B. 2568 relating to durable powers of attorney. (December 2010)
• Report of the Supreme Court Rules Advisory Committee on a proposal to eliminate local court rules. (December 2010)

2009

• Report of the Civil Code Advisory Committee proposing 2010 H.B. 2656 - A bill based on the extensive set of “style” revisions to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure that became effective 12/01/07. (December 2009)
• Report of the Criminal Law Advisory Committee proposing 2010 H.B. 2452 - A bill pertaining to the evaluation at sentencing of a defendant's ability to pay costs and fees. (December 2009)
• Report of the Family Law Advisory Committee proposing 2010 H.B. 2667 - A bill recodifying domestic relations statutes into one chapter of the Kansas statutes. See the proposed legislation. (December 2009)
• Report of the Guardianship and Conservatorship Advisory Committee proposing 2010 H.B. 2532 - A bill proposing amendments to the Care and Treatment Act for Mentally Ill Persons, the Care and Treatment Act for Persons with an Alcohol or Substance Abuse Problem, and the Kansas Sexually Violent Predator Act relating to quarantine of individuals to prevent spread of communicable disease. (December 2009)
• Report of the Civil Code Advisory Committee on 2009 S.B. 32 which would prohibit a court from admitting expressions of apology, fault or sympathy made by a health care provider as evidence of an admission of liability. (December 2009)
• Report of the Criminal Law Advisory Committee on 2009 H.B. 2335 relating to a "domestic violence tag" to be incorporated into one's criminal history for tracking purposes. (December 2009)
• Report of the Criminal Law Advisory Committee on 2009 H.B. 2204 relating to public release of probable cause warrants. (December 2009)
• Report of the Criminal Law Advisory Committee on 2009 S.B. 272 relating to the involuntary commitment of incompetent defendants. (December 2009)
• Report of the Death Penalty Advisory Committee on 2009 S.B. 208 which would abolish the death penalty in Kansas. (December 2009) The proposed re-draft of the bill 2010 S.B. 375 did not pass.
• Report of the Family Law Advisory Committee on 2009 S.B. 27 relating to presumption of paternity. (December 2009)
• Report of the Family Law Advisory Committee on adoption of the 2001 or 2008 version of the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA). (December 2009)
• Report of the Guardianship and Conservatorship Advisory Committee on 2009 S.B. 235 relating to the Uniform Adult Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Jurisdiction Act. (December 2009)
• Report of the Homeowner's Association Advisory Committee on 2009 H.B. 2253 which relates to homeowners' associations and apartment owners. (December 2009)
• Report of the Juvenile Offender/Child in Need of Care Advisory Committee on 2009 H.B. 2208 which would require that all child in need of care reports be forwarded to the County or District Attorney's office. (December 2009)

2008

• Report of the Criminal Law Advisory Committee on 2008 SB 413, regarding the collection of DNA specimens. (December 2008)
• Report of the Criminal Law Advisory Committee on 2008 SB 427, regarding the statute of limitations as it relates to specific sex offenses. (December 2008)
• Report of the Criminal Law Advisory Committee regarding K.S.A. 65-4142 and similar offenses from another jurisdiction. (December 2008)
• Report of the End of Life Decisions Advisory Committee on the Uniform Healthcare Decisions Act. (December 2008)
• Report of the Civil Code Advisory Committee on 2008 SB 537, regarding amendments to civil procedure statutes. (December 2008)
• Report of the Probate Law Advisory Committee regarding 2008 SB 431, regarding dollar amounts in the Probate Code. (December 2008)
• Report of the Probate Law Advisory Committee regarding amendments to the Kansas Power of Attorney Act. (December 2008)
• Report of the JO/CINC Advisory Committee on 2007 HB 2527, regarding access to records in child in need of care cases. (December 2008)
• Report of the JO/CINC Advisory Committee on 2008 HB 2820 and amendments to the Revised Kansas Code for Care of Children and the Revised Kansas Juvenile Justice Code. (December 2008)
• Report of the False Claims Act Advisory Committee on 2008 HB 2943, establishing the Kansas False Claims Act. (December 2008)
• Report of the Administrative Procedure Advisory Committee regarding the Kansas Administrative Procedure Act. (December 2008)

2007

• Report of the Appeals from Termination of Parental Rights Advisory Committee. (November 2007)
• Report of the Criminal Law Advisory Committee on 2007 H.B. 2473 (currently 2008 H.B. 2850) relating to stalking. (November 2007)
• Report of the Juvenile Offender/Child in Need of Care Advisory Committee on proposed amendments to the Revised Codes. (January 2008)
• Report of the Administrative Procedure Advisory Committee to the Special Committee on Judiciary, relating to separation of functions, ex parte communications and standard of proof in revocation of licenses. (November 2007)
• Report of the Guardianship and Conservatorship Advisory Committee on 2005 H.B. 240 (currently 2008 H.B. 2644) relating to the appointment of guardians and conservators. (November 2007)
• Report of the Probate Law Advisory Committee on 2007 S.B. 32 (currently 2008 S.B. 412) relating to medicaid reimbursement. (November 2007)

2006

• Report of the Civil Code Advisory Committee on K.S.A. 40-256 and 40-908, relating to attorney’s fees in insurance cases. (February 2006)
• Report of the Civil Code Advisory Committee on Kuhn v. Sandoz, relating to “pure opinion testimony” and the Frye test. (February 2006)
• Report of the Probate Law Advisory Committee on the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act (UPMIFA) including Kansas comments. (October 2006)

2005

• Report of the Judicial Performance Advisory Committee. (December 2005)
• Report of the Civil Code Advisory Committee on 2005 S.B. 53, relating to expert and opinion testimony. (December 2005)
• Report of the H.B. 2307 Advisory Committee on end of life decisions for wards. (December 2005)
• Report of the Guardianship and Conservatorship Advisory Committee on conflicts of interest between guardians and wards. (December 2005)
• Report of the Criminal Law Advisory Committee on 2005 H.B. 2062. (December 2005)
• Report of the Probate Law Advisory Committee on 2005 H.B. 2435 and the Kansas Uniform Trust Code. (December 2005)

2004

• Report of the Death Penalty Advisory Committee. (November 2004)
• Report of the Death Penalty Advisory Committee. (January 2004)
• Revised Kansas Code for Care of Children (with comments) and Enrolled Copy of 2005 H.B. 2352. (November 2004)
• Revised Kansas Juvenile Justice Code (with comments) and Enrolled Copy of 2005 S.B. 261. (October 2004)

2003

• Report of the Press Shield Advisory Committee. (2003)

2002

• Comments to the 2002 Uniform Trust Code. (2002)

2001

• Report on the State's Obligation to Provide Legal Services for Prisoners. (2001) (Attachments available by contacting the Judicial Council.)
• Report of the Guardian Ad Litem Committee. Appendix of the Guardian Ad Litem Committee. (2001)

2000

• Report of the Court of Appeals Jurisdiction Committee. (2000)

1999

• Study of reasons why children are removed from their homes. (1999)
• Study of child abuse and abuse of dependent adults. (1999)

1991

• Comments to 1991 S.B. 358 (amending the criminal code).

1990

• Comments to 1990 Adoption and Relinquishment Act.

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