Has your divorce been stuck in limbo due to COVID-19 Court restrictions? Have you been waiting for months simply to get a default hearing? Well, good news: after Tuesday, September 22nd, the Connecticut family courts will be scheduling default hearings in many eligible cases.
What does a “default” mean? A default is obtained when one party does not appear or respond to pleadings filed in a divorce or custody case.
How to ask for a default? If your spouse or co-parent has made no indication to either you or the Court that they intend on participating in the divorce or custody proceedings, it may be time to ask for a default. This means that they have not filed an appearance themselves or had an attorney file an appearance on their behalf AT LEAST thirty days after your Return Date. Once the thirty days have lapsed, you can file the necessary paperwork to ask for a default hearing.
Right now, the Connecticut family courts will start looking at cases in which this paperwork has been filed and begin scheduling hearings accordingly. All default judgments had previously been on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If you think filing for a default judgment in your divorce or custody matter might be right for you, the time to act is now!