What is Divorce Mediation?5 Things To Do Before Filing For Divorce
Few people think about divorce before they are confronted with one. As such, divorcing spouses are unsure what they need to do and learn before[…]
Bruce talks about working through divorces and the family law firm’s commitment to care for the children.
Help Throughout the Connecticut Divorce Process
If you are in the middle of getting a divorce or trying to resolve child custody and visitation issues, you know that the process can be emotionally draining. Not only are you trying to build a better life for your family, but you are trying to navigate the court system. A divorce could possibly be your first time in court. At the Connecticut family law firm of StangerLaw LLC in Hartford County, our divorce attorneys have the extensive experience and skills to help you resolve your matters as cordially and timely as possible.
For more information about the divorce process, see the 9 Steps in a Connecticut Divorce.
When you need a dedicated and compassionate Hartford divorce lawyer, contact StangerLaw LLC by sending us an online message or calling (860) 561-0651 for assistance.
We guide clients through all family law matters and provide advice at every stage of legal separation, including:
- Property division;
- Child support or spousal support;
- Child custody; and
- Complex division of assets or property in high income divorce cases.
Additional Reading: Finding Hidden Assets in a Connecticut Divorce
Our Practice is Limited to Connecticut
We primarily handle divorce matters where the family’s net worth exceeds $1,000,000, allowing us to dedicate the time and resources necessary to meet the unique needs of our clients.
Resolving Issues for Same-Sex Couples
No matter what disputes have arisen in your same-sex marriage, our divorce lawyers in Hartford, Connecticut can help.
There are many complex rules to follow if you are seeking a divorce under Connecticut law, especially if you are not officially a resident of the state. Our legal team can answer your questions and protect your rights at every turn.
Connecticut Divorce Mediation, Arbitration, and Collaborative Law Services
With our skilled staff, we provide legal services to help clients throughout Connecticut resolve family law matters by mediation and alternative dispute resolution (ADR).
ADR includes a range of alternatives to divorce litigation such as mediation, arbitration, and collaborative law.
Many families choose to have our mediators or arbitrators to help them with family law disputes because it often saves time and money. Of course, if your spouse won’t work in a cooperative way through mediation, we will fight for you in court.
Bruce discusses the benefits of collaborative divorce.
What is Divorce Mediation?
Mediation is an alternative method for resolving divorce issues. In divorce mediation, a neutral mediator guides the two parties through a structured process to help them reach an agreement.
Each party can also have a separate divorce lawyer help them before and after each mediation session.
How Long Does Divorce Mediation Take?
Divorce mediation is typically faster than traditional divorce proceedings and usually takes around three to six months. Mediation tends to take longer if the case is complex or the parties aren’t flexible. If your case is relatively simple, you may be able to complete the process in one or two sessions.
What are the Benefits of Mediation in Connecticut?
Mediation offers an agreeable way of resolving differences that saves time and money. Instead of having a judge decide important family matters, you and your former spouse reach a solution that’s acceptable to both of you.
Because mediation requires you to work together, your relationship after your divorce will likely be healthier. Keeping your interactions free of conflict and hostility is especially important when there are children involved. For many people, mediation is in the best interest of their families.
Divorce mediation is also completely confidential. With mediation, you don’t risk your discussions becoming part of the public record. Courts can be daunting for a lot of families, especially if they have never been to courts. In some cases, you can keep everything out of court, which lowers stress for you and your children.
Even if you and your former spouse can’t agree on everything, you can still resolve part of your family law issues through mediation. In these cases, a court decides the rest for you. Mediating everything else still benefits you by saving significant time and money.
What if My Spouse Doesn’t Want to Mediate?
We are here to guide you through the options available to you and your family. If you and your spouse have difficulty agreeing, or if your relationship is especially unhealthy, mediation might not be in your best interest. Of course, if you or your spouse do not want to work through mediation, we will represent you in court.
Post-Divorce Proceedings
As part of our comprehensive family law services, an experienced divorce lawyer from our family law firm in Hartford, CT, can provide dedicated legal representation to help clients reach fair and reasonable solutions regarding modification and enforcement.
Circumstances Change With Time
You or your ex-spouse may wish to rework parts of your divorce or separation agreement months or even years after it is finalized.
Depending upon your individual circumstances and the terms of your divorce, we may be able to make these changes.
Pre-Nuptial Agreements
When you are planning a wedding, it may be difficult to contemplate the ending of your relationship. But if you have special or high assets to protect regardless of what happens in your marriage, a pre-nuptial agreement may be a wise choice.
Property that’s been in your family for generations and investments that you started before you were engaged – these are just two examples of assets that might be protected in a divorce if you have a pre-nuptial agreement.
In Connecticut, the courts apply the equitable distribution or division of assets in a divorce. Or in other words, whatever the judge thinks is fair. You can decide together to exclude or limit division. It is a moral as well as a practical discussion. Someday in a divorce, a judge may or may not want to enforce what you decide.
There are many things to consider so if you want to discuss your options, call our office and ask them to sign you up for a prenup consultation. It’s important to understand that this would be a conversation. It is not sufficient to obtain documentation or bring the conversation to a conclusion.
To set up a prenuptial agreement and protect your assets, contact StangerLaw LLC for legal assistance from experienced divorce lawyers in CT.
Read More: Who Gets the House in a Connecticut Divorce?
Post-Nuptial Agreements
A post-nuptial agreement is an agreement entered into after a marriage.
For example, couples who acquire significant assets during marriage (such as stock), can create a postnuptial agreement. A postnuptial agreement can be used to re-evaluate a couple’s wishes for their property in the event of a divorce.
More information on Connecticut-specific postnuptial procedures can be found here. While there are circumstances in which a postnuptial agreement will be found valid, the reality is that it is at the discretion of the Judges based on the facts and circumstances.
Our advice is you should speak with your Connecticut divorce attorney about the odds that it will be enforceable. Do not assume it will be enforced even if it was fair at the time it was signed. Call us if you would like our help.
LEARN HOW WE CAN ASSIST YOU
Contact us for a consultation.
Connecticut Divorce Q&As
What Are the Grounds for Divorce in Connecticut?
In Connecticut, you can file for divorce on both fault grounds and no-fault grounds. Filing for divorce on no-fault grounds means that neither party is responsible for the breakdown of the marriage.
Filing for divorce on fault grounds means that one spouse’s actions caused the marriage to fail.
The no-fault divorce grounds in Connecticut are simply an irretrievable breakdown of the marriage.
Connecticut courts typically accept that a marriage is irretrievably broken if one spouse does not want the marriage to continue.
There are also eight fault grounds for divorce in Connecticut.
The acceptable fault grounds are:
- Adultery;
- Intolerable cruelty;
- One spouse has been imprisoned;
- Fraudulent contract (your spouse intentionally deceived you to enter the marriage);
- Habitual intemperance (one spouse suffers from drug or alcohol addiction);
- One spouse suffers from a mental illness and has been confined to a mental institution for five of the last six years;
- One spouse has willfully deserted and neglected the other for at least 12 months; and
- One spouse has been absent from the marriage with no communication for at least 7 years.
Proving fault grounds for divorce can affect the terms of your judgment of divorce. For example, if you prove that your spouse cheated, a judge can consider this when determining issues such as alimony and splitting up the assets. Yet unless it is extreme, the judges tend to see it as a symptom not the cause.
A Connecticut divorce attorney can discuss which divorce grounds are best for your situation and needs.
What Is an Uncontested Connecticut Divorce?
If you and your spouse agree on all the issues in your divorce case, you can get an uncontested divorce.
These issues include how to handle marital property division, whether one spouse should receive alimony, child custody and support, and more. If you agree, one spouse will file the correct divorce paperwork with the court, and the court clerk will schedule a date on which the couple can be divorced provided there are no other disagreements that need to be resolved.
The couple will submit a final agreement stating their divorce terms on the day of their final Connecticut divorce judgment.
Even though an uncontested divorce is usually much simpler and faster than a contested proceeding, it can still be important to talk to an experienced lawyer about getting an uncontested divorce.
How Does Alimony Work in Connecticut?
The needs of each spouse determine alimony in Connecticut.
If one spouse will be unable to maintain their previous standard of living after a divorce, they may be eligible to receive alimony payments, also called spousal support payments.
If the two spouses cannot agree on the issue of alimony, the court will make the final decision. This decision is influenced by the childcare responsibilities of each spouse as well as other factors like the receiving spouse’s earning potential.
How Does Child Support Work in Connecticut?
Divorce can be extra complicated when there are children from either the current marriage or a previous relationship. Connecticut family and divorce law requires both parents to support their children, regardless of marital status. This means that most divorce cases involving children specify terms for the payment of child support.
To determine the amount of child support payments, courts rely on child support guidelines established by the state legislature. These guidelines allow courts to calculate spousal support based on the parents’ respective incomes.
Many factors affect the calculation of each parent’s net income. If you and your spouse disagree on child support terms, it can be helpful to hire a Connecticut divorce lawyer.
A skilled divorce and family law attorney in CT is ready to help you negotiate the child support arrangement that is best for you and your children.
Contact Our Divorce Lawyers in Connecticut for Help
For an initial consultation to discuss your divorce, child custody, support or other related family law matters, contact us online or call (860) 561-0651 today.
We believe in building trust, communication, and settling disputes in a supportive environment. Reach out to us to speak with a divorce attorney. We can help you through this difficult time.