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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 a divorce with
children. 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 divorce you have to fill out the following 2 forms:
And attach to the complaint:
If you need to ask the court for temporary orders while your divorce case is pending, you may also fill out the:
Once you finish your paperwork, the documents must be sent or brought
to the Superior Court Clerk’s Office for the Clerk to sign the summons.
After doing so, the Clerk will return the forms to you. Copies of the
paperwork must be delivered to your spouse
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 pay the
State Marshal fee if you prove that you cannot afford to pay. It is the
Application For Waiver Of Fees/Payment Of Costs/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 a
notary public.
Once copies of the paperwork have been delivered
to your spouse, 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 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 Family Clerk’s office is the:
If your spouse 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 Agreement 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 divorce date
and must be in court on that date. If you and your spouse do not agree
to a divorce date and have not filed a Case Management Agreement either,
you must come to court on your Case Management Date.
If you have children under the age of 18 (eighteen), you must take part in a
parenting education program within 60 (sixty) days after a family case
is filed. There is a fee for the classes that you will have to pay
unless the court has decided that you do not have to.
There is a form to ask the court to let you not pay the fee. It is the
Application For Waiver Of Fees/Payment Of Costs/Appointment Of Counsel - Family (JD-FM-75).
You will need the following forms to participate in the class:
For your final divorce hearing you have to fill out the following forms:
If your spouse did not respond to the divorce Complaint you may have to file another form, the:
On the day of your divorce 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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