{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-625.041","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 625.041","heading":"Party to action -- Guardian ad litem to be appointed.","body":"(1) The parties to an action for voluntary termination of parental rights shall be the\nparent seeking termination, whose presence is not required if represented by\ncounsel for the parent when an appearance -waiver and consent -to-adopt form is\nfiled with the cou rt, but the court shall appoint a guardian ad litem to represent the\nbest interest of the child, unless one has already been appointed in a proceeding\nunder KRS Chapter 620.\n(2) The guardian ad litem shall be paid a fee to be fixed by the court, not to exc eed five\nhundred dollars ($500), to be paid by the petitioner, except if the Cabinet for Health\nand Family Services receives custody of the child, the guardian ad litem shall be\npaid by the Finance and Administration Cabinet.\n(3) The parent may sign an app earance-waiver and consent -to-adopt form when the\nparent chooses not to attend a voluntary termination of parental rights proceedings.\nThis form, prescribed by the Administrative Office of the Courts, shall:\n(a) Contain a statement of acknowledgment and ag reement, regarding the\nappearance at the proceeding, signed by the parent, counsel for the parent, and\nthe cabinet. If the parent is a minor, the form shall also be signed by the\nguardian of the minor parent;\n(b) Contain the parent's notarized signature;\n(c) Contain any address to which the parent requests the final judgment be\nserved.\n(4) If a joint petition is filed, counsel shall be designated as attorney for both parties.","path":["KRS Chapter 625"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=54814","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T21:00:08Z","sha256":"11a419b844263a9240dd225dd936b8807dabd406de90353dfb177e8e5c34cf68","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-625.0407","next":"us-ky/krs-625.042"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}