Divorce FAQ's
Can a support order be changed following our divorce?
Yes. Where there is a substantial change in one of the party's financial circumstances an alimony or child support order may be modifiable.
Yes. Pursuant to Connecticut General Statutes Section 46-b-56c, the Court has jurisdiction to enter orders regarding post-secondary educational support for your children.
Divorce mediation can be a peaceful and effective way to resolve your divorce. In order for mediation to work, there must be full disclosure by each of the parties of their respective income and assets, and the parties must be able to communicate with each other and resolve support and access issues regarding their children. As an experienced mediator, I work with both parties to come to an equitable agreement with respect to all issues surrounding their divorce, including asset division, support and custody.
The Connecticut Child Support Guidelines establish child support based upon the combined net income of both parents. Additionally, the parties are required to contribute to the cost of unreimbursed medical and dental expenses as well as work-related childcare expenses.
The process of divorce includes the division of marital propertybetween the parties, which in Connecticut includes assets brought into the marriage, accumulated during the marriage and inherited during the marriage. The Court will consider such factors as the length of the marriage, cause for the breakdown of the marriage, age and health of the parties, the income, occupation, assets and liabilities of each party, and the contribution of each of the parties in the acquisition, preservation or appreciation in value of their respective assets.
Yes. Connecticut is a “no fault” state and a divorce can be granted on the ground that the marriage has irretrievably broken down. However, the Court may consider the reasons for the breakdown of the marriage in dividing the marital estate and in determining the amount of alimony.
What if parents cannot agree on custody/access issues to the child(ren)?
A pre-marital or pre-nuptial agreement is a written agreement entered into by two people who are intending to marry. It may include provisions such as how marital assets are to be distributed in the event of death or divorce, and it could set limits on the amount of alimony paid by one spouse to the other in the event of a divorce.
Alimony, which is the same as spousal support, is money paid by one spouse to another either during the divorce, or upon the divorce becoming final, towards the receiving spouse’s living and other expenses. It can be limited to a term of years, or payable for a lifetime, depending on the particular circumstances of the case.
Legal custody refers to the legal authority of a parent to make major decisions which affects the child’s health, education and welfare.
Physical custody, or residential custody, determines in which household the child primarily lives.
Whereas a pre-nuptial agreement is signed before the date of the wedding, a post-nuptial agreement is an agreement signed during the marriage.
Accident FAQ's
What should i do if i am involved in an accident?
- Stop. After the accident, stop! Never leave the scene of an accident. If you leave the scene before contacting the police or the other party, you can be exposed to criminal penalties. If you hit an unattended vehicle or damage other property, attempt to locate the other owner. If unsuccessful, leave a note with as much detail as possible including your name, address and telephone number, and then contact the police.
- Stay Calm. Try to act rational and stay cool. Refrain from arguing with the other party or the police. Make sure you do not say anything incriminating, DO NOT ADMIT GUILT!
- Think Safety. Check the scene to make sure there are no serious injuries. Do not move an injured person or attempt to perform medical procedures yourself. Turn the engine off to guard against fire. If possible, leave the vehicles where they rest until police arrive on scene. Make sure to turn on emergency flashers, or if accident is at night, use flares to warn other motorists of the accident scene. Call 911 from the scene of the accident or ask someone to call for you.
- Do Not Discuss the Accident. Only give a statement to the police, never to the other driver or his/her insurance company. Be cooperative, but at the same time do not admit fault. Be careful of what you say to your insurance company, even casual remarks may can come back to hurt you in a lawsuit.
- Document as Many Details As Possible. Make sure to write down as many details as possible, including: a) name of other party b) address c) telephone number d) license plate number e) driver’s license number f) make, model and year of car g) insurance company h) insurance policy number i) injured persons names, addresses and telephone numbers j) Witnesses’ name, address, phone numbers, and vehicle license number Take notes about the accident: a) time of the accident b) location (street names, cross streets, landmarks, route or exit numbers, road signs, traffic signals, etc) c) weather conditions, and d) road conditions NOTE: If possible, photograph the accident scene from four directions and the damage to each vehicle. Write down the location and extent of damage to all vehicles.
- Contact the Police. As soon as possible, make sure the police document the accident and draft a police/accident report. Get as many details about the investigating police officer as possible, including name, badge number, and shift he/she usually works.