Bill > SB44

This bill amends three Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS) to address fees for legal services in court proceedings, specifically focusing on situations involving indigent (low-income) individuals. Under the changes to KRS 453.060, if a guardian ad litem (a court-appointed representative who advocates for a party's best interests, often in cases involving children) or a warning order attorney (a lawyer who provides legal notice to a defendant who cannot be directly served) is appointed, and the court determines the requesting party is indigent, the Finance and Administration Cabinet will be required to pay their fees. Similarly, the amendments to KRS 23A.200 and KRS 24A.170 mandate that if an indigent party requires a domestic relations commissioner (a court official who assists in family law cases), the Finance and Administration Cabinet will be responsible for paying the associated fees. These modifications aim to ensure that individuals with limited financial resources can still access necessary legal services in Circuit, District, and family court proceedings by having the state cover specific legal fees when appropriate.

Budget and Finance

https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/25RS/sb44.html