Senate Bill 12-056 Summary

• Courts may appoint attorneys to serve as legal representatives of children in domestic relations cases involving parental responsibilities allocation, with the same person prohibited from serving as both legal representative and child/family investigator.

• All appointed persons (legal representatives, child and family investigators, evaluators, parenting coordinators, and decision-makers) must disclose within seven days any familial, financial, or social relationships with the child, parties, attorneys, or judicial officer involved in the case.

• Parties have seven days from disclosure to object to an appointment based on disclosed relationships; the court must then either appoint a different person or confirm the appointment within seven days, with silence constituting deemed confirmation.

• Courts may terminate appointments and appoint replacements if disclosed relationships warrant it, and must consider domestic violence claims or evidence before appointing parenting coordinators.

• The act takes effect July 1, 2012, and applies to all court appointments made on or after that date.