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Antenuptial (Premarital)

Agreements in Connecticut

A Guide to Resources in the Law Library

 

·         Antenuptial or prenuptial agreement “means an agreement between prospective spouses made in contemplation of marriage.” Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46b-36b (2007).

·         “An antenuptial agreement is a type of contract and must, therefore, comply with ordinary principles of contract law.” McHugh v. McHugh, 181 Conn. 482, 486, 436 A.2d 8 (1980).

·         Civil Unions: “Wherever in the general statutes the terms ‘spouse’ . . .  shall be included in such use or definition, and wherever in the general statutes  . . .  a civil union shall be included in such use or definition.” Conn. Gen. Stats. § 46b-38oo(2007)

·         “The validity of prenuptial contracts in Connecticut is governed, since October 1, 1995, by the Connecticut Premarital Agreement Act (the act). General Statutes § 46b-36a et seq. Prior to the act, our Supreme Court had set forth the standards for determining the validity of a prenuptial agreement in McHugh v. McHugh, 181 Conn. 482, 436 A.2d 8 (1980) . . . .” Dornemann v. Dornemann, 48 Conn. Sup. 502, 510, 850 A.2d 273 (2004).

·         Antenuptial agreements are also known as premarital agreements.

 

Sections in this chapter:           

§ 1 Current law

§ 2  Prior Law

§ 3  Form and Content

§ 4  Enforcement and Defenses

§ 5  Modification or Revocation

§ 6  Federal Tax Aspects

§ 7. State Tax Aspects

Appendix: Legislative Histories in Connecticut Courts               

 

Tables in this chapter:

Table 1: Connecticut Premarital Agreement Act: House Debate

Table 2: Three Prong Test

Table 3: Contents of Antenuptial Agreement

Table 4 Dornemann

Table 5: Enforcement of Antenuptial Agreement

Table 6: Surveys of State Antenuptial Agreement Laws

 

 

Section 1 

Current Law

A Guide to Resources in the Law Library

 

 

SCOPE

Bibliographic resources relating to the validity of antenuptial agreements in Connecticut following passage of the Connecticut Premarital Agreement Act

 

CURRENCY:

·         2008 Edition

 

DEFINITIONS:

·         CONNECTICUT PREMARITAL AGREEMENT ACT: “This act shall take effect October 1, 1995 and shall apply to any premarital agreement executed on or after that date.” 1995 Conn. Acts  170 § 11 Reg. Sess.).

·         PREMARITAL AGREEMENT: “means an agreement between prospective spouses made in contemplation of marriage [or civil union].” Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46b-36b(1) (2007).

·         PROPERTY: “means an interest, present or future, legal or equitable, vested or contingent, in real or personal property, tangible or intangible, including income and debt.” Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46b-36b (2) (2007).

·         PURPOSE: “The legislative history confirms that the purpose of the act is to recognize the legitimacy of premarital contracts in Connecticut, not to constrain such contracts to a rigid format so as to limit their applicability.” Dornemann v. Dornemann, 48 Conn. Sup. 502, 519-520, 850 A.2d 273 (2004).

·         STATUTORY DEFENSES: “Prenuptial agreements signed after October 1, 1995 can be defeated in Connecticut by statutory defenses: ‘Such party did not execute the agreement voluntarily.’  ‘The agreement was unconscionable when it was executed.’ ‘The agreement was unconscionable . . . when enforcement is sought.’ ‘Such party was not provided a fair and reasonable disclosure of the amount, character and value of property, financial obligations and income of the other party.’ Gen. Stat. § 46b-36g(a)(1), (2) and (3). These statutory defenses outlined above raise the essential defenses of  ‘coverture, duress, fraud, illegality not apparent on the face of the pleadings.’ Attacks on the validity of a prenuptial agreement must be raised by Special Defenses according to Practice Book rule.” McKenna v. Delente, No. FST FA 04-0200412 S (Super. Ct. J.D. Stamford-Norwalk at Stamford, Dec. 20, 2007)

·         FAIR AND REASONABLE DISCLOSURE OF HIS FINANCIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: “refers to the nature, extent and accuracy of the information to be disclosed, and not to extraneous factors such as the timing of the disclosure.” Friezo v. Friezo, 281 Conn. 166, 183, 914 A.2d 533 (2007).

·         REASONABLE OPPORTUNITY: “With respect to whether the plaintiff had a ‘reasonable opportunity’ to consult with legal counsel, there is no requirement that a party actually seek or obtain the advice of counsel, only that he or she be afforded a reasonable opportunity to do so.” Friezo v. Friezo, 281 Conn. 166, 204, 914 A.2d 533 (2007).

·         INDEPENDENT COUNSEL: “a ‘reasonable opportunity to consult with independent counsel’ means simply that the party against whom enforcement is sought must have had sufficient time before the marriage to consult with an attorney other than the attorney representing the party's future spouse.” Friezo v. Friezo, 281 Conn. 166, 204, 914 A.2d 533 (2007).

 

STATUTES:

 

·         Conn. Gen. Stat. (2007) 

Connecticut Premarital Agreement Act

§ 46b-36a. Short title: Connecticut Premarital Agreement Act

§ 46b-36b. Definitions

§ 46b-36c. Form of premarital agreement

§ 46b-36d. Content of premarital agreement

§ 46b-36e. Effect of marriage on premarital agreement

§ 46b-36f. Amendment or revocation of premarital agreement after marriage

§ 46b-36g. Enforcement of premarital agreement

§ 46b-36h. Enforcement of premarital agreement when marriage void

§ 46b-36i. Statute of limitation re claims under premarital agreement

§ 46b-36j. Premarital agreements made prior to October 1, 1995, not affected

·         9C Uniform Laws Annotated 35 (2007).

Uniform Premarital Agreement Act

 

CASES:

·         Friezo v. Friezo, 281 Conn. 166, 204, 914 A.2d 533 (2007). “General Statutes § 46b-36g (a) (4) specifically provides that the party against whom enforcement of the prenuptial agreement is sought must prove that ‘[s]uch party was not afforded a reasonable opportunity to consult with independent counsel.’ The operative terms for the purpose of this analysis are ‘reasonable opportunity’ and ‘independent counsel.’ Although this court has not yet had occasion to construe § 46b-36g (a) (4), appellate courts that have interpreted identical statutory language invariably have held, consistent with the plain statutory wording, that a ‘reasonable opportunity to consult with independent counsel’ means simply that the party against whom enforcement is sought must have had sufficient time before the marriage to consult with an attorney other than the attorney representing the party's future spouse. ”

·         Dornemann v. Dornemann, 48 Conn. Sup. 502, 521,  850 A.2d 273 (2004). “The plaintiff's claim that enforcement of the premarital agreement would be unconscionable has been reserved and will be addressed at the trial of the present case. The plaintiff executed a prenuptial agreement, after adequate financial disclosures, willingly and voluntarily. There was no coercion or undue influence. The defendant's failure to sign the contract prior to the marriage did not invalidate the contract. He assented to the bargain by marrying the plaintiff on April 13, 1997.”

·         Linger v. Sadowski, No. FA 01-0728258, Judicial District of Hartford at Hartford, 2002 WL 1492257 (May 31, 2002). “The defendant's arguments are persuasive.  Section 46b-36g(3) does not require total accuracy in the disclosure of assets.  It merely requires ‘fair and reasonable disclosure.’  This will vary from case to case depending upon various factors including the size of the total estate in comparison to the extent of the failure to disclose.  In this case, the failure to disclose the real estate interest is neither unfair nor is it unreasonable in light of the size and character of the decedent's estate.  The total value of the estate is actually greater than the value disclosed by the decedent although the character of the assets is slightly different.  This is not unfair to the plaintiff.”

·         Pierce v. Pierce, No. FA 00-0725342, 2001 Ct. Sup. 9189, 9191, 2001 WL 950208 (Jul. 16, 2001). "The plaintiff claims that the agreement of the parties should control whereas the defendant argues against its enforcement. It should be noted that the defendant had entered into a pre-nuptial agreement in her previous marriage whereas the plaintiff had not. It is clear from the defendant's own testimony that all of the statutory criteria set forth in Connecticut General Statute Sec 46b-36g(c). The defendant, however, claimed the plaintiff failed to mention he had a timeshare and had been married more times than he had told the defendant and she would not have married him otherwise. The timeshare omitted by the plaintiff in his premarital disclosure was worthless and was sold at a loss. Further, the court finds that the defendant would have married the defendant notwithstanding the number of his previous marriages. The defendant saw her marriage to the plaintiff as a way out of financial difficulty for her and her daughter."

·         Wilkes v. Wilkes, 55 Conn. App. 313, 319-320, 738 A.2d 758 (1999). "The plaintiff claims that this 'mid-nuptial' agreement should be considered the same as premarital agreements that are protected by General Statutes § 46b-36g with respect to disclosure. Section 46b-36g (a) (3), which is applicable to premarital agreements executed on or after October 1, 1995, the effective date of Public Acts 1995, No. 95-170, precludes enforcement of a premarital agreement where, prior to execution, a party is 'not provided a fair and reasonable disclosure of the amount, character and value of property, financial obligations and income of the other party. . . .' The plaintiff asserts that, even if § 46b-36g does not apply, the agreement was not fair and equitable as required by General Statutes § 46b-66. There is no merit to this claim because § 46b-36g (a) (3) requires 'fair and reasonable disclosure,' as opposed to more formal financial affidavits, and the trial court had the benefit of formal financial affidavits at the time it decided that the agreement was fair and equitable."

 

DIGESTS:

·         ALR Digest: Husband and Wife (I. Antenuptial Contract)

·         L.Ed. Digest: Husband and Wife § 33

 

WEST KEY NUMBERS:

·         Husband and Wife # 29

 

 

ENCYCLOPEDIAS

·         41 C.J.S. Husband and Wife (2006).

§ 118. Prenuptial agreements, in general

§ 119. Proper subject-matter of agreement

§ 120. Validity, in general

§ 121. Existence and effect of confidential or fiduciary relationship between parties

§ 122. Necessity of independent legal counsel

§ 123. Financial disclosure and independent knowledge

§ 124. Consideration, in general

§ 125. Marriage

§ 126. —For or against whom consideration operative

§ 127. Form, formal requisites

§ 128. Execution and acknowledgement

§ 129. Delivery

§ 130. Registration

§ 131. Construction, in general

§ 132. Determination of rights

§ 133. Termination, in general

§ 134. Effect of separation or divorce

§ 135. Timing of commencement of action

§ 136. Enforcement, generally

§ 137. Evidence

·         41 Am. Jur. 2d Husband and Wife (2005).

§ 81. Prenuptial settlements and agreements

§ 82. Public policy

§ 83. —Contemplation of dissolution or divorce

§ 84. Enforceability of certain provisions

§ 85. —Support, maintenance, or alimony upon divorce

§ 86. Enactment of statutes, in general

§ 87. Agreements under the Uniform Premarital Agreement Act

§ 88. Retroactive application of statute

§ 89. Status as contract, generally

§ 90. Formal requirements

§ 91. Consideration

§ 92. Fairness standards, generally

§ 93. Fairness and unconscionability

§ 94. Under the Uniform Premarital Agreement Act

§ 95. Change in circumstances; infidelity; abandonment

§ 96. Confidential relationship

§ 97. Duty to disclose

§ 98. —Extent of duty

§ 99. Fraud; misrepresentation

§ 100. Voluntariness

§ 101. —Conditioning marriage upon execution of agreement

§ 102. Independent legal advise

§ 103. General rules; liberal construction

§ 104. Intent of parties

§ 105. Introductory recitals; other rules

§ 106. Discharge; release; alteration by parties

 

TEXTS & TREATISES:

§         8A Arnold H. Rutkin et al., Connecticut Practice Series, Family Law And Practice With Forms (2d ed. 2000).

Chapter 48. Premarital Agreements

§ 48.1. In general

§ 48.2. Written or oral agreements

§ 48.3. Effect of noncompliance with Statute of Fraud

§ 48.4. Requisites for preparation and execution

§ 48.5. Disclosure requirements

§ 48.6. Legal representation in connection with agreement

§ 48.7. Allowable purposes—Generally

§ 48.8. Particular clauses—Generally

§ 48.9. ___ Separate property

§ 48.10. ___ Joint purchases and contracts

§ 48.11. Enforcement of agreements—Generally

§ 48.12. ___ Specific considerations

§ 48.13. Amendment or revocation of agreements

§         Family Law Practice in Connecticut (1996).

Chapter 6.  The [New] Connecticut Premarital Agreement Act—The Changes And Impact by Deborah J. Lindstrom

§ 6.1. Introduction

§ 6.2. Brief history

§ 6.3. Ante v. Postnuptial Agreement

§ 6.5. McHugh v. McHugh, the prior law

§ 6.6. Contract freedom

§ 6.7. Alimony and child support

§ 6.8. Safeguards

§ 6.9. Conclusion

·         2 Alexander Lindey and Louis I. Parley, Lindey on Separation Agreements and Antenuptial Contracts (2d ed. 2007).

Chapter 110. Antenuptial (Premarital) Agreements

§ 110.60. Definitions

§ 110.61. Recognition

§ 110.64. Formal requirements

§ 110.65. Fraud, duress, and misrepresentation

§ 110.66. Reasonableness; Unconscionability

§ 110.67. Disclosure; Knowledge

·         5 Arnold H. Rutkin, gen. ed., Family Law and Practice (2007).

Chapter 59. Antenuptial agreement

§ 59.01. History and public policy

§ 59.02. Purpose

 

LAW REVIEWS:

·         Louis Parley, Premarital agreements in Connecticut. Where We Are And Where We Are Going, 69 Connecticut Bar Journal 495 (1995).

 

COMPILER:

Lawrence Cheeseman , Supervising Law Librarian, Connecticut Judicial Department, Law Library at Middletown, One Court Street, Middletown, CT 06457. (860) 343‑6560. EMAIL

 

 

Table 1: Connecticut Premarital Agreement Act: House Debate

 

38 H.R. Proc., Pt. 9, 1995 Sess. (Appendix A)

 

 

 

“This bill establishes standards and guidelines for premarital agreements. It includes what agreements may have in them, what they can include, and also under what conditions the agreements will be unenforceable.”

 

 

p. 3210

“The bill specifically provides that a premarital agreement may not have any provisions which adversely affect a child of the marriage and has other details with respect to premarital agreements.”

p. 3210

“ . . . with the enactment of this legislation, if someone had signed some other agreement or it didn’t comply with this statute, would it have the legal effect of a contract anyway?” [Response: p. 3212]

p.       3212

 

“ . . . how about a separate agreement made after the effective date that did not entirely comply with the legislation before us?” [Response: pp. 3212-3213]

p. 3212

“ . . . what I’m attempting to get into the record here is whether this is a mandate that the only way you can have a premarital agreement in the state of Connecticut is by following this statute or whether or not two consenting adults  following a standard contract type format could, in fact, enter into any type of agreement they care to and still be valid.” [Response: p. 3214]

p. 3213

“ . . . If a particular clause did not fall within any of the categories in Number 3, would the parties be precluded from contracting freely and openly with regard to that subject matter?” {Response: p. 3217]

p. 3217.

“In Section 5 it provides that an agreement can be modified without consideration in writing after the marriage. So, in essence, its like a will. It’s an executory contract, I guess, that can be modified at any time by the parties without consideration.

     . . . Is a premarital agreement during the course of the marriage similar to a will in that it can be mutually modified in this way?” [Response: pp. 3218-3219]

p. 3217

 

 

“Are there any standards contained in this bill which are not contained in the standards that we currently use for unconscionability? I mean would a court have to look to this bill or would the court look to existing law on unconscionability?”[Response: p. 3220]

p. 3219

 

“The only issue that would be removed from the consideration of a jury in terms of this contract would be the issue of unconscionability. All of these other issues, including whether there was fair and reasonable disclosure, whether there was a voluntary waiver, whether certain things had been complied with in section 6 would all be questions of fact to be determined by the trier of facts and not exclusively by the court. Is that correct? [Response: pp. 3221]

p. 3221

 

“An agreement that is in effect now, if an individual has an agreement that is in effect currently and modifies that agreement, which law would apply, the law at the time that the agreement was entered into or the law at the time that the agreement was modified? [Response: pp. 3222-3223]

 

 

p. 3222.

 

Section 2 

Prior Law

A Guide to Resources in the Law Library

 

SCOPE:

Bibliographic resources relating to the validity of antenuptial agreements in Connecticut executed prior to October 1, 1995—the effective date of the Connecticut Premarital Agreement Act

 

CURRENCY:

·         2008 Edition

 

DEFINITIONS:

·         “The court’s first inquiry, then, is to ascertain whether the agreement complies with the ordinary principles of contract law and whether its terms and the circumstances surrounding its execution are such as to demonstrate that the parties were aware of their legal rights and their respective assets and liabilities, and proceeded by the agreement to alter those rights in a fair and voluntary manner.” McHugh v. McHugh, 181 Conn. 482, 488, 436 A.2d 8 (1980).

·         “It is clear that antenuptial agreements will not be enforced where to do so would violate the state statutes or public policy.” Ibid.

·         VALIDITY: “The validity of prenuptial contracts in Connecticut is governed, since October 1, 1995, by the Connecticut Premarital Agreement Act (the act). General Statutes § 46b-36a et seq. Prior to the act, our Supreme Court had set forth the standards for determining the validity of a prenuptial agreement in McHugh v. McHugh, 181 Conn. 482, 436 A.2d 8 (1980), as follows: ‘The validity of an antenuptial contract depends upon the circumstances of the particular case. . . . Antenuptial agreements relating to the property of the parties, and more specifically, to the rights of the parties to that property upon the dissolution of the marriage, are generally enforceable where three conditions are satisfied: (1) the contract was validly entered into; (2) its terms do not violate statute or public policy; and (3) the circumstances of the parties at the time the marriage is dissolved are not so beyond the contemplation of the parties at the time the contract was entered into as to cause its enforcement to work injustice.’ (Citation omitted.) Id., 485-86. The act endorses, clarifies and codifies the McHugh standards.”  Dornemann v. Dornemann, 48 Conn. Sup. 502, 510-511, 850 A.2d 273 (2004). (Emphasis added).

 

STATUTES:

·         Conn. Gen. Stat. (2005)  

§ 45a-436. Succession upon death of spouse. Statutory share.

§ 52‑550. Statute of Frauds

 

CASES:

·         Pite v. Pite, No. FA99-0429262S, 2001 Ct. Sup. 2819, 2824-25, 2001 WL 238144 (Feb. 20, 2001). "The existing statute in Connecticut which controls the enforceability of premarital agreements, the Connecticut Premarital Agreement Act, General Statutes § 46b-36a et seq., does not apply to any premarital agreement made prior to October 1, 1995. General Statutes § 46b-36j. Accordingly, the determination of the validity of the parties' prenuptial agreement in this case is governed by the common law."

·         McHugh v. McHugh, 181 Conn. 482, 436 A.2d 8 (1980). Three prong test of validity of antenuptial agreements .

·          Parniawski v. Parniawski, 33 Conn. Supp. 44, 46, 359 A.2d 719 (1976). "This state has placed its stamp of approval on a contract entered into in contemplation of marriage in which each prospective spouse released any claim to the property owned by the other at the time of the marriage or thereafter, agreeing that on the death of either, the survivor should have no claim to his or her property."

 

DIGESTS:

·         Dowling’s Digest: Husband and Wife § 12

·         West Key Number: Husband and Wife  #29

 

ENCYCLOPEDIAS:

·         41 C.J.S. Husband and Wife §79 (1991).

·         41 Am. Jur. 2d Husband and Wife §§113-134 (1995).

 

TEXTS & TREATISES:

§         8A Arnold H. Rutkin et al., Connecticut Practice Series, Family Law And Practice With Forms (2d ed. 2000).

Chapter 48. Premarital Agreements

§ 48.1. In general

§ 48.2. Written or oral agreements

§ 48.3. Effect of noncompliance with Statute of Frauds

§ 48.4. Requisites for preparation and execution

§ 48.5. Disclosure Requirements

§ 48.6. Legal representation in connection with agreement

§ 48.11. Enforcement of agreements—generally

§         Family Law Practice in Connecticut (1996).

Chapter 6.  The [New] Connecticut Premarital Agreement Act—The Changes And Impact by Deborah J. Lindstrom

§ 6.5.  McHugh v. McHugh, the prior law

·         5 Arnold H. Rutkin, gen. ed., Family Law and Practice (2004).

Chapter 59. Antenuptial agreement

§ 59.01. History and public policy

§ 59.02. Purpose

·         2 Alexander Lindey and Louis I. Parley, Lindey on Separation Agreements and Antenuptial Contracts (2d ed. 2004).

Chapter 110. Antenuptial (Premarital) Agreements

§ 110.90. Common law and statutory recognition of premarital agreements

 

LAW REVIEWS:

·         Louis Parley, Premarital agreements in Connecticut. Where We Are And Where We Are Going, 69 Connecticut Bar Journal 495 (1995).

·         Emy Sigler, Elgar v. Probate Appeal: The Probate Court's Implied Powers to Construe and to Enforce Prenuptial Agreements, 13 Connecticut Family Law Journal, 61 (1995).

·         Lawrence P. Weisman, Value of Recognizing Antenuptial & Postnuptial Agreements in Pendente Lite Hearings, 2 Connecticut Family Law Journal 34 (March 1984).

·         Michael A. Meyers, Requirements and Uses of Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements, 4 Connecticut Family Law Journal 3 (November 1985).

·         Louis Parley, Antenuptial Agreements In Connecticut: An Analysis Of Mchugh V. Mchugh, 57 Connecticut Bar Journal 487 (December 1983).

·         Arthur E. Balbirer and C. Ian McLachlan, Survey of 1980 Developments in Connecticut Family Law, 55 Connecticut Bar Journal  39 (February 1981)

 

COMPILER:

·         Lawrence Cheeseman , Supervising Law Librarian, Connecticut Judicial Department, Law Library at Middletown, One Court Street, Middletown, CT 06457. (860) 343‑6560. EMAIL

 

 

Table 2: Three Prong Test

 

 

Hugh v. McHugh, 181 Conn. 482, 485-486 (1980)

 

 

“Antenuptial agreements relating to the property of the parties, and more specifically, to the rights of the parties to that property upon the dissolution of marriage, are generally enforceable where three conditions are satisfied:

(1)     the contract was validly entered into;

 

(2)     its terms do not violate statute or public policy; and

 

 (3) the circumstances of the parties at the time the marriage is dissolved are not so beyond the contemplation of the parties at the time the contract was entered into as to cause its enforcement to work injustice.”

 

 

Section 3 

Form and Content

A Guide to Resources in the Law Library

 

SCOPE:

Bibliographic resources relating to the form and content of antenuptial agreements or prenuptial contracts in Connecticut executed after October 1, 1995—the effective date of the Connecticut Premarital Agreement Act

 

CURRENCY:

·         2008 Edition

 

STATUTES:

·         Conn. Gen. Stat. (2007)  

§ 46b-36c. Form of premarital agreement

§ 46b-36d. Content of premarital agreement

§ 52-550(a). Statute of frauds; written agreement or memorandum

·         9C Uniform Laws Annotated 35 (10-1-95).

Uniform Premarital Agreement Act

§ 2. Formalities

§ 3. Content

 

FORMS:

·         9B Am. Jur Legal forms 2d Husband and Wife (2002 revision)

§ 139:3. Form drafting guide

§ 139:4. Form drafting guide—Checklist—Matters to be considered in drafting antenuptial agreement

§ 139:5. Formal requirements—Execution

§ 139:6. Formal requirements—Acknowledgment

§§ 139:7 to 139.27. Basic agreements

§§ 139:28 to 139:95. Optional provisions

§§ 139:96 to 139:125. Transactions between husband and wife

§§ 139:126 to 139:134. Transaction with third parties by husband and wife

·         5 Nicols Cyclopedia of Legal Forms Annotated §§5.561 to 5.670 (1983).

1.       Complete forms

2.       Particular general provisions

3.       Fixing rights of wife

4.       Fixing rights of husband in property of wife

5.       Settlement of property of both husband and wife

6.       Miscellaneous agreements and provisions relating to antenuptial agreements

·         4  Jacob Rabkin and Mark H. Johnson, Current Legal Forms (2001).

Chapter 10. Domestic Relations

A. Antenuptial agreements  Forms 10.01 to 10.12

·         2 Alexander Lindey and Louis I. Parley, Lindey on Separation Agreements and Antenuptial Contracts (2d ed. 2007). 

Chapter 110. Antenuptial (premarital) agreements

§§ 110.10-110.43. Forms

§ 110.60. Definitions

§ 110.61. Recognition

§ 110.64. Formal requirements

§ 110.65. Fraud, duress, and misrepresentation

§ 110.66. Reasonableness; Unconscionability

§ 110.67. Disclosure; Knowledge

§         Gary N. Skoloff et al., Drafting Prenuptial Agreements (2003) [includes CD-ROM].

Part VII. Standard clauses for inclusion

Part VIII. Sample prenuptial agreement

 

DIGESTS:

·         West Key Number: Husband and Wife # 29

·         Dowling’s Connecticut Digest: Husband and Wife § 12

 

ENCYCLOPEDIAS:

·         41 Am. Jur. 2d Husband and Wife (2005).

§ 90. Formal requirements

§ 103. General rules; liberal construction

§ 104. Intent of parties

§ 105. Introductory recitals; other rules

·         41 C.J.S.  Husband and Wife (2006).

§ 127. Form

§ 128. Execution and acknowledgment

§ 129. Delivery

§ 130. Registration

§ 132. Determination of rights

§ 133. Termination, generally

§ 136. Enforcement, generally

·         Enforceability of premarital agreement based on fairness of terms and circumstances of execution, 7 POF3d 581 (1990).

Includes: “Proof of lack of informed voluntariness in execution of premarital agreement”

·         Transfer Of Assets In Fraud Of Spouse’s Antenuptial Contractual Rights, 14 POF2d 755 (1977).

Includes: “Proof that transfer of assets constituted a constructive fraud on antenuptial contractual rights of transferor’s spouse”

·         Waiver of spousal rights in estate of deceased spouse, 7 POF2d 605 (1975).

Includes: “Proof that spouse knowingly waived rights in estate of deceased spouse”

·         Compensation on Dissolution of Marriage for Spousal Contributions to Education, 31 Am Jur Trials 1 (1984).

·         James T. Tucker, Annotation, Family Court Jurisdiction To Hear Contract Claims, 46 ALR5th 735 (1997).

·         James O. Pearson, Annotation, Failure To Disclose Extent Or Value Of Property Owned As Ground For Avoiding Premarital Contract, 3 ALR5th 394 (1992).

·         Jay M. Zitter, Annotation, Antenuptial Contracts: Parties’ Behavior During Marriage As Abandonment, Estoppel, Or Waiver Regarding Contractual Rights, 56 ALR4th 998 (1987).

·         Robert Roy, Annotation, Modern Status Of Views As To Validity Of Premarital Agreements Contemplating Divorce Or Separation, 53 A.L.R.4th 22 (1987).

·         Robert Roy, Annotation, Enforceability Of Premarital Agreements Governing Support Or Property Rights Upon Divorce Or Separation As Affected By Circumstances Surrounding Execution—Modern Status, 53 ALR4th 85 (1987).

·         Robert Roy, Annotation, Enforceability Of Premarital Agreements Governing Support Or Property Rights Upon Divorce Or Separation As Affected By Fairness Or Adequacy Of Those Terms—Modern Status, 53 ALR4th 161 (1987).

·         Andrea G. Nadel, Annotation, Enforceability Of Agreement Requiring Spouse’s Co-Operation In Obtaining Religious Bill Of Divorce, 29 ALR4th 746 (1984).

·         Annotation, Spouse’s Secret Intention Not To Abide By Written Antenuptial Agreement Relating To Financial Matters As Grounds For Annulment, 66 ALR3d 1282 (1975).

·         Annotation, Waiver Of Right To Widow’s Allowance By Antenuptial Agreement, 30 ALR3d 858 (1970).

·         Annotation, Noncompliance With Statutory Requirements Concerning Form Of Execution Or Acknowledgment As Affecting Validity Or Enforceability Of Written Antenuptial Agreement, 16 ALR3d 370 (1967).

·         Annotation, Setting Aside Antenuptial Contract Or Marriage Settlement On Ground Of Failure Of Spouse To Male Proper Disclosure Of Property Owned, 27 ALR2d 883 (1953). 

 

TEXTS & TREATISES:

§         8A Arnold H. Rutkin et al., Connecticut Practice Series, Family Law And Practice With Forms (2d ed. 2000).

Chapter 48. Premarital Agreements

§ 48.1. In general

§ 48.2. Written or oral agreements

§ 48.3. Effect of noncompliance with Statute of Fraud

§ 48.4. Requisites for preparation and execution

§ 48.5. Disclosure requirements

§ 48.7. Allowable purposes—Generally

§ 48.8. Particular clauses—Generally

§ 48.9. ___ Separate property

§ 48.10. ___ Joint purchases and contracts

§         Family Law Practice in Connecticut (1996).

Chapter 6.  The [New] Connecticut Premarital Agreement Act—The Changes And Impact by Deborah J. Lindstrom §6.6  Contract freedom

§ 6.7. Alimony and child support

§ 6.8. Safeguards

·         2 Alexander Lindey and Louis I. Parley, Lindey on Separation Agreements and Antenuptial Contracts (2d ed. 2007).

Chapter 110. Antenuptial (Premarital) Agreements

§ 110.64. Formal requirements

[1] Introduction

[2] Statute of fraud

[3] Particular statutes

[4] Execution

[5] Recording

§ 110.73. Construction

§ 110.76. Uniform Premarital Agreement Act

[3]. Formalities

[4]. Content

·         5 Arnold H. Rutkin, gen. ed., Family Law and Practice (2007).

Chapter 59. Antenuptial agreement

§ 59.04. Execution and validity of agreements

§ 59.05. Topics included in agreements

[1] The parties; Third-party beneficiaries

[2] Recitals

[3] Personal property

[4] Real property

[5] Expectancies

[6] Contingencies

[7] Intellectual property

[8] Liabilities

[9] Schedule of financial information and relevant documents

[10] Notification to third parties

[11] Valuation

[12] Identification of separate property

[13] Increases in value after signing

[14] Conveyances

[15] Waivers and limitations

[16] Parental rights and responsibilities

[17] Lifestyle

[18] Life, health, and disability insurance; Personal injury proceeds

[19] Employee benefits

[20] Bankruptcy considerations

[21] Applicable laws

[22] Representation by counsel

[23] Modification

[24] Waiver and enforcement of terms

[25] Other terms

§       &n