Statute 60-1617: Counseling.
(a)
Family counseling. At any time prior or subsequent to
the
alteration
of the parties' marital status the court may order that any
party or parties and any of their children
be interviewed by a psychiatrist, licensed psychologist
or other trained professional in family counseling, approved by the court,
for the purpose of determining whether it is in the best interests
of any of the parties' children that the parties and any of their children
have counseling regarding matters of legal
custody, residency, visitation
or parenting time. The court
shall receive the written opinion of the professional, and the court shall
make the opinion available
as provided by
K.S.A.
60-1615, and amendments thereto. Any professional consulted by the court
under this section may be examined as a
witness.
If the opinion of the professional is that counseling is in the best interests
of any of the children, the court may order the parties and any of the children
to obtain counseling. Neither party shall be required to obtain counseling
pursuant to this section if the party objects thereto because the counseling
conflicts with sincerely held religious tenets and practices to which any
party is an adherent.
(b) Costs. The costs of the counseling shall be taxed to either
party
as equity and justice require.
History: L. 1982, ch. 152, § 16;
L. 1986, ch. 299, § 10;
L. 2000, ch. 171, § 20; July 1.