New Order Allows Couples in CT With Collaborative Divorce Agreement to Finalize Divorce Without Going to Court

For Immediate Release
June 8, 2020

 

CCDG Divorce Attorneys: Now Is Actually the Best Time to Get a Divorce! 

HARTFORD, Conn; June 8, 2020 – In response to the current pandemic situation, family courts in Connecticut remain closed, except for emergencies such as restraining orders and ex parte matters. Other motions will not be heard. But the State of Connecticut Judicial Department continues to move forward to allow access to the courts, and under new procedures made possible through one of the Governor Ned Lamont’s executive orders, family cases with full written agreements can request approval of those agreements without having to go to a courthouse for a hearing.

“Only domestic violence cases and certain emergency cases are presently being heard in the courthouse – and everyone entering the courthouse has to wear masks, adhere to extreme social distancing, and more precautions,” said attorney Robert B. Fried with the Connecticut Collaborative Divorce Group (CCDG), a group of professionals (attorneys, financial professionals, behavioral health professionals) that aims to keep divorcing couples and their children out of court using a team approach to family conflict resolution called Collaborative Divorce. “Arrangements have been made to allow dissolution of marriages (uncontested divorces), annulments, custody matters, and additional family court issues to proceed electronically if there is a written agreement on the issues. The courts will now conduct status conferences and pretrials by telephone and video conferencing.”

Collaborative Divorce is a non-alternative dispute resolution process with professionals trained to assist and promote communications and settlement outside the court process. Divorcing parties meet and work toward a comprehensive resolution of all issues and have it reduced to a written document signed by the parties.

While many divorce cases were put on hold at the beginning of the pandemic and lockdown, uncontested divorces can now be finalized. This can include final judgments on custody, visitation between parents, divorce or legal separation, or a final order on any motion in such a case, as long as the parties are in agreement and can file the necessary documents.

“This new development is huge! That means your divorce is final and you don’t have to go into court – lawyers submit filings, paperwork and final agreements, and the court can order that agreement without a hearing, without people having to go to court,” said Meghan Freed, also an attorney with CCDG. “We don’t know if this (divorce by electronic filing) is going to stay around after coronavirus, but if it does stay around, that means we can keep people out of court entirely! We used to keep it out of court until the last piece, now we don’t have to go at all. This was possible to do in other states but not in Connecticut.”

While many couples are enduring quarantine and hoping to divorce when society returns to normal, now is actually the perfect time to get divorced. With a collaborative divorce, families can get in and out of the divorce quickly and emerge from quarantine in a better place.

“This is really something in a world where people are struggling from a lack of control,” Freed said. “Collaborative divorce is designed to get control back to the couple. Right now, we can help give them more control. Also, life has slowed so much, were having more success scheduling meetings closer together so the whole process is taking less time. They don’t have to go anywhere.”

 

Learn more about the Collaborative Divorce process: www.ctcollaborativedivorce.com. CCDG members are available for interviews.

About CCDG: Connecticut Collaborative Divorce Group is a group of experienced divorce professionals, including divorce and family lawyers, financial and mental health professionals who have been specifically trained in the collaborative process. Each member of the group has made a commitment to the goals of collaborative practice in order to help people achieve fair and lasting settlements without using the court or even the threat of court. Additionally, each member attends regular meetings and training sessions designed to develop and enhance their Collaborative Divorce skills. For more information visit: www.ctcollabrorativedivorce.com