In Kansas, grandparents can obtain their own visitation rights to their grandchildren in the right circumstances. Under K.S.A. 23-3301(a), “grandparents and stepparents may be granted visitation rights.” “The district court may grant the grandparents of an unmarried minor child reasonable visitation rights to the child during the child’s minority upon a finding that the visitation rights would be in the child’s best interests and when a substantial relationship between the child and the grandparent has been established.” Id. at 23-3301(b). “The district court must make both findings before gra ..read more

Your estate plan protects you and your family during your lifetime and controls distribution of your estate after death. If you do not have a thorough and thoughtful estate plan that expresses your wishes, Kansas laws and judges make important decisions for you. Those determinations may be very different from your own wishes. An estate plan includes several different documents that accomplish specific goals. In the discussion that follows, our respected estate planning lawyers at Hampton & Royce provide basic information about the documents in an estate plan and the objectives they achieve ..read more

The following list briefly outlines the top 10 things to consider when developing an estate plan for a farming or ranching operation. This is not an exhaustive list and many of these items overlap. For a comprehensive estate plan, each item should be viewed in context with the others. Whether you have an estate plan, or have nothing, the future is uncertain, but a comprehensive estate plan can help. 1. Family Dynamics – On-Farm v. Off-Farm Heirs  There are many family dynamics to a farm estate or succession plan, after all, it is a family business. The best way to sort through these dynam ..read more

Under Kansas law, both parents have a legal duty to support a child financially. State statutory provisions relating to determination of child support are supplemented by the Kansas Child Support Guidelines, adopted by the Kansas Supreme Court. Revised Guidelines that took effect on January 1, 2020, apply to new child support orders issued after that date and to court modifications of existing support orders occurring after the effective date. Child Support in Kansas If a child’s parents do not live together, the parental obligation to pay support usually results in the parent with primary phy ..read more

Under the revised Kansas code for care of children, a judge must appoint a guardian ad litem (GAL) for an individual under age 18 who is the subject of a petition for a child in need of care. Judges also appoint a GAL in other situations such as high conflict divorces. In this discussion, our family law attorneys at the Salina law firm of Hampton & Royce explain the role and responsibilities of a guardian ad litem appointed by a Kansas court. What Is a Guardian Ad Litem? Kansas law requires the court to appoint an attorney as guardian ad litem to appear for and represent the best interests ..read more

Whether you own a large commercial farm or a small subsistence farm, your Kansas farming business operates in a complex network of federal and state legal mandates. Those laws encompass specialized rules relating to agriculture, as well as general legal issues that affect all businesses. Our Kansas agriculture attorneys at Hampton & Royce are uniquely well-positioned to help our farming clients successfully navigate all the legal concerns of running an agricultural business in the state. We assist with immediate legal issues of any nature, while being attentive to the long-term goals, grow ..read more

If your domestic matter ends up in family court, your own credibility in court is central to the strength of your case. If you lose credibility, the judge may not believe anything you say. That can affect the outcome of your case. In this article, our family law attorneys at Hampton & Royce, L.C. draw on their extensive experience to explain how you can lose credibility in family court, so you can be certain to avoid the pitfalls. 1. Making a False Claim or Statement Judges and lawyers have a lot of experience knowing when people are not telling the truth. If you tell a single lie in court ..read more

The State of Kansas does not require you to use a lawyer to get a divorce. While there are advantages to being represented by a lawyer, some people decide to complete the process for an uncontested divorce without an attorney. If you consider the do-it-yourself (DIY) approach, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the legal requirements and process — and to do that before you pay for DIY forms or a commercial service. Extensive free resources are available on the internet. Kansas Divorce Laws In Kansas, state laws govern the substantive and procedural aspects of divorce. The divorce stat ..read more

Many people in Kansas enjoy riding motorcycles for fun or as a means of transportation. Unfortunately, if a motorcycle accident occurs, severe and even catastrophic injuries often result. If you suffer injuries as a rider or passenger, the primary priority is getting medical treatment. Then, you should make certain that you know what to do to pursue your motorcycle accident injury claim. Injury Risks in a Motorcycle Accident Motorcycle riders and passengers are at much greater risk for injuries than people in cars and trucks. That’s partly because the motorcyclists are more exposed while ridin ..read more

Grandparents often play an important role in the lives of their grandchildren. However, under Kansas law, a grandparent has no legal authority to make decisions involving a grandchild, even in emergency situations. State law does provide several alternatives for a grandparent to acquire legal rights, including custody, in specific limited circumstances. A grandparent interested in obtaining legal authority over a grandchild should talk with an experienced family law attorney before taking any steps in that regard. Attempting to navigate the substantial legal complexities of Kansas child custod ..read more