Connecticut Family Law Blog

Going through a separation and no longer living with your child is a tough transition to go through. You likely worry about maintaining the connection that you once had with your child now that you no longer spend all of your time under the same roof. If you are paying child support, you may be struggling to keep up with payments, or you may be wondering if you are paying too much.

If your circumstances have changed since the initial child support order was put in place, it may be possible for you to file a petition to modify your child support payments. In many cases, you may experience a lowering of your child support obligations. The following are some of the circumstances in which it may be possible to modify your child support order in Connecticut.

Making ends meet today can be pretty tough. It usually takes two incomes to live reasonably comfortably, so when a Connecticut couple makes the decision to divorce, looking at the financial picture is a necessity. Most likely each person will be moving forward independently on one income and that means the more knowledge each has about the law and finances, the better.

In a divorce situation, assets as well as debts must be divided. Often deciding who will be responsible for what debt is more difficult than dividing assets. A rundown of what is owed and to whom is necessary for the couple to be able to manage their debt and their finances independently. Obtaining independent credit reports might help the process and any debts that can be paid off, should be. 

When a couple or single person is in the position to welcome a child who is not biologically related into the family, it is a joyous occasion. Those Connecticut residents who choose adoption may wish to speak with an attorney experienced in family law before formally entering the adoption process since having some knowledge of the law can ease any stress that may accompany it. Those wishing to adopt a child in Connecticut must make the decision regarding what kind of adoption they would like to pursue: domestic or international adoption; whether they want a newborn child or an older child; or whether they want an open or closed adoption.

Before an adoption is complete, prospective adoptive parents in Connecticut must meet certain standards. They must complete a home study course that assesses their preparedness to adopt; they must complete an Adoption Planning Questionnaire and complete an Adoptive Family Profile, which tells pregnant women who will be placing their babies for adoption about available families. These days, most adoptions are open, meaning the adoptive parents and biological mothers (and sometimes fathers) meet each other or at least communicate with each other.

When a couple divorces or separates there are a host of issues about which decisions must be made. For those Connecticut couples who have children, child custody is one of the most important decisions there is. Many fathers, however, have been claiming that they're getting the short end of the stick when it comes to their kids after they've parted ways with their mothers. 

Many divorced men feel like the system has let them down when it comes to their children. A number of men claim they are not getting the same rights when it comes to issues like child custody and child support. They believe the law looks upon women as being the better caregivers and so it is more difficult for them to get fair treatment in the court system. The men say they're often dealing with old-fashioned judges who believe custody should be given to mothers.