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Disclaimer: The information on this web
page is provided as a service and a convenience by the Connecticut Judicial
Branch. It is not intended as legal advice to any person. If you have
questions about the use of these forms, your legal rights, or particular
issues in your case, it is strongly recommended that you talk to an
attorney.
Due to the changing nature of the law, the forms and
information found on this web site will change from time to time. It is up
to you to follow the current procedures and to file the correct, up-to-date
forms. Each court location has a Clerk's Office and many locations also have
a Court Service Center that
can give you help and information about court procedures. Please note,
however, that Clerk's Office and Court Service Center personnel cannot
provide you with legal advice.
Instructions
These instructions are to help you represent yourself in the dissolution
of a civil union. Legal words and court documents can be confusing. The
more you know, the more comfortable you will be when you fill out the
necessary court forms and come to court. These instructions will give
you some useful information and instructions on filling out the
necessary forms.
Every case is
different and these instructions are to be used as a guide only; if you
think you need more help you may want to get an attorney. You can also
go to a
Court Service Center or
contact the
Connecticut Network for
Legal Aid
or find additional information at the
Law Libraries. Court Staff
can help you understand the legal process, and while they may give you
procedural information, they cannot give you legal advice.
To
start a dissolution you have to fill out the following [2] forms:
And attach to the complaint:
Once you finish your paperwork, you must take it to the Superior
Court Clerk’s office. The Clerk will sign the summons and return the
forms to you. Copies of the paperwork must be delivered to the defendant
by a State Marshal. The Clerk’s office or the Court Service Center can
give you a
list of
State Marshals. A State Marshal will charge a fee for delivering the
paperwork which you must pay, unless the court has decided that you do
not have to pay. There is a form you can use to ask the court to excuse
you from paying the State Marshal if you prove that you cannot afford to
pay. It is the
Application For Waiver Of Fees/ Appointment Of Counsel Family (JD-FM-75).
You can also use this form if you cannot afford to pay the fee to file
the case. Do not sign this form until you are in front of a court clerk
or notary public.
Once copies of the paperwork have been delivered
to the defendant, the original paperwork must be returned to the Clerk’s
Office along with the filing fee and proof that the papers were
delivered to the other party. If the court has decided that you do not
have to pay the filing fee, you must return the Application For Waiver
of Fees/Appointment of Counsel with your other papers.
On your paperwork there will be 2 dates listed. One is the Return Date. The
return date must be a Tuesday and should be at least 4 weeks after the
day you bring the papers to the court clerk. The other is the Case
Management Date. The Case Management date is at least 90 days after your
Return Date.
The next form you will have to fill out and send or give to the Clerk’s office is the:
If the defendant has filed an
Appearance form, he or she needs to sign the Case Management Agreement
form, too. This form must be given or sent to the Clerk’s Office before
the Case Management Date on your Summons form. You do not have to go to
court on the Return Date. On the Case Management Agreement form you are
choosing your actual dissolution date and must be in court on that date.
If you and the defendant do not agree to a dissolution date and have not
filed a Case Management Agreement either, you must come to court on your
Case Management Date.
For your final dissolution hearing you have to fill out the following forms:
If the defendant did not respond to the
Dissolution of Civil Union Complaint you may have to file another form,
the:
On the day
of your dissolution hearing be sure to come to court early because it
can take 10 to 20 minutes to get into the courthouse since everyone must
go through a metal detector. Be sure to bring your filled out court
forms and copies of any other forms you may have filed. Go to your
assigned courtroom and wait for instructions. If you are not sure where
to go, check with the Clerk’s Office or Court Service Center.
For Help - You may go to the
Court Service Center for help completing these or any other forms. Any additional procedural questions that you might have may also be directed to the staff of the Court Service Center.
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