Can the beneficiary named on a life insurance policy be changed by a court?

Sure it can, provided the court has sufficient proof to esablish doing so would be in everyone, particularly the children's best interest.

This might be possible, but if so it's done very, very rarely. I have never heard of it. A court might pressure the policy owner to change the beneficiary, but I don't believe they can force them to, or arbitrarily change it.