A formal exception to a ruling or order is unnecessary. When the ruling or order is requested or made a party need only state the action that it wants the court to take or objects to, along with the grounds for the request or objection. Failing to object does not prejudice a party who had no opportunity to do so when the ruling or order was made.
K.S.A. 60-246.Objections to rulings or orders
Last amended July 1, 2010 · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceK.S.A. 60-246 does away with the need for a formal exception to a ruling or order, requiring only that a party state the action it wants or the grounds for its objection, and it protects a party who had no chance to object when the ruling was made.
Full Text of K.S.A. 60-246
Amendment History
L. 1963, ch. 303, 60-246; L. 2010, ch. 135, § 116; July 1.
Plain-English Summary
Section 60-246 is one short paragraph that removes an old formality. A party no longer needs to take a formal exception to preserve a ruling or order for later review. All the section requires is that, when a ruling or order is requested or made, the party state what action it wants the court to take, or what it objects to, along with the grounds behind the request or objection.
The section also protects a party caught off guard. If a party had no opportunity to object when the court made the ruling or order, failing to object at that moment doesn't prejudice that party later. That safeguard matters most for rulings the court issues on its own, without warning, where a party couldn't have spoken up in time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I still need to take a formal exception to a ruling to preserve it for appeal?
No. Section 60-246 states that a formal exception to a ruling or order is unnecessary.
What do I need to say to preserve my objection under 60-246?
Just the action you want the court to take, or what you object to, and the grounds for that request or objection.
What if the court makes a ruling before I have any chance to object?
Section 60-246 protects you. Failing to object doesn't prejudice a party who had no opportunity to do so when the ruling or order was made.
Does 60-246 apply to both rulings requested by a party and ones the court makes on its own?
Yes. The section covers a ruling or order that is either requested or made, without distinguishing between the two.
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from the
Kansas Statutes Annotated, enacted by the Kansas Legislature. Last verified July 28, 2026.
· Official source
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