Tag: divorce

HOW LIFE INSURANCE IS TREATED IN DIVORCE CASES IN CONNECTICUT

Posted by Broder & Orland LLC on with 0 Comment

Life insurance coverage is an important topic that must be addressed in the majority of divorce cases in Fairfield County, Connecticut. Experienced divorce practitioners are aware that life insurance coverage can present issues during and after a divorce case and are vigilant about ensuring that their clients are protected with respect to these issues.

During the Divorce

Many divorce clients in Fairfield County, such as Greenwich or Darien, have life insurance policies, or their spouses do. At the inception of the divorce case, it is important for both sides to ensure that whatever life insurance policies exist at the time of the filing are maintained throughout the divorce case. Life insurance policies owned by a party should be disclosed on his or her Financial Affidavit, but it is common practice for divorce attorneys in Fairfield County, Connecticut to request copies of all life insurance policies as part of their discovery requests. By reviewing the policies, the client and the attorney can discover what the terms of the policies are and what the coverage is, which is important to know for settlement negotiations and trial preparation. For example, if a party owns a term policy, one needs to know when the policy ends and if the premiums increase after a certain date.

Continue reading “HOW LIFE INSURANCE IS TREATED IN DIVORCE CASES IN CONNECTICUT” →

HOW DO I FIND A DIVORCE LAWYER THAT IS RIGHT FOR ME?

Posted by Broder & Orland LLC on with 0 Comment

If you are contemplating divorce or have been served with divorce papers, this is one of the first questions to cross your mind. Unless you’ve been divorced before, it’s unlikely you have had any real experience with a lawyer who concentrates in that area of the law. So where to get started?

Most likely, given the divorce rate in Westport, Greenwich, Darien, New Canaan and surrounding Fairfield County towns, you have friends and family who have been down this road before. Their stories range from text book to nightmare and their assessments of the lawyers involved runs a similar gamut.

Take a deep breath. There are some wonderful lawyers who practice Family Law, of which divorce is a part. They are dedicated to their clients and behave in a skillful and ethical manner. They exhibit a healthy balance of objectivity and compassion. This is the type of lawyer you should seek out.

If you’re willing to share some confidences, the most natural place to start is by asking a couple of trusted friends or colleagues who have successfully navigated the process in the past. It is important to bear in mind that each case is different and the results can vary widely. So don’t get married to a set of facts or outcomes, but rather try to get a feel for what attorney might be the best match for you.

Continue reading “HOW DO I FIND A DIVORCE LAWYER THAT IS RIGHT FOR ME?” →

POSTNUPTIAL AGREEMENTS IN CT PART I: IS IT RIGHT FOR ME?

Posted by Broder & Orland LLC on with 0 Comment

Many clients come into our office from the towns of Greenwich, Darien, New Canaan, Rowayton, Stamford, and Westport, wondering whether they should enter into a Postnuptial Agreement. In general terms, a Postnuptial Agreement is a contract between a husband and wife entered into after their wedding ceremony, anywhere from weeks to years later. Postnuptial Agreements are often created in the interest of preserving the marriage, and encouraging the private resolution of family issues. Historically, the state of Connecticut disfavored divorces, and found postnuptial agreements akin to divorce and contrary to public policy. In 2011, the state’s position shifted and in Bedrick v. Bedrick, the Connecticut Supreme Court upheld the enforceability of Postnuptial Agreements finding them consistent with public policy. As part of the Connecticut Supreme Court’s decision, the Court acknowledged that Postnuptial Agreements help privately resolve marital conflicts, protect third party interests, and address the parties’ financial concerns.

Continue reading “POSTNUPTIAL AGREEMENTS IN CT PART I: IS IT RIGHT FOR ME?” →

CHILD SUPPORT PART III: DEVIATING FROM THE GUIDELINES

Posted by Broder & Orland LLC on with 0 Comment

As discussed in Part I and II of this series, child support in Connecticut is determined by the Child Support Guidelines and numerous statutory factors. In the Connecticut court system there is a presumption that the amount of child support as calculated by the guidelines is the correct amount to be ordered by the court. However, in some cases, either an upward or downward deviation from the guidelines may be necessary or appropriate for certain families, including those who live in the towns of Greenwich, Stamford, Darien, New Canaan and Westport.

The presumptive amount of support as determined by the guidelines may be rebutted by a specific finding on the record that such amount would be inequitable or inappropriate. Parties may also enter an agreement that rebuts the presumed amount so long as the agreement cites or more deviation criteria as outlined by the Connecticut Child Support Guidelines. In order to deviate from the presumptive amount of support as determined by the guidelines, the presumptive amount of support must first be stated and specific deviation criteria must be cited. Connecticut case law emphasizes that all child support awards, including those resulting from agreements of the parties, must be made in accordance with the Child Support Guidelines.

Continue reading “CHILD SUPPORT PART III: DEVIATING FROM THE GUIDELINES” →

DIVORCE AND COLLEGE EDUCATION COSTS

Posted by Broder & Orland LLC on with 0 Comment

“Who will have to pay for our children’s college expenses?” is one of the most frequent questions posed to divorce lawyers in Greenwich, Stamford, Darien, New Canaan and Westport. Given that divorce is often a time of great financial uncertainty and anxiety for divorcing spouses, it is certainly understandable that many of our clients are concerned about whether, and to what extent, each parent will be obligated to contribute to their children’s college expenses.

Most clients are aware, even before they meet with a family law attorney, that a primary custodial parent will be entitled to receive child support payments from a non-custodial parent under Connecticut law. However, while such child payments are meant to cover a broad range of child-related expenses (such as food, shelter, clothing and other basic necessities), child support obligations do not account for college costs. In fact, child support obligations extend only until a child reaches the age of eighteen (or, in situations where a child does not graduate from high school by age eighteen, until the earlier to occur of a child’s graduation from High School or his or her 19th birthday).

Continue reading “DIVORCE AND COLLEGE EDUCATION COSTS” →

WHAT DIVORCE PROCESS IS RIGHT FOR ME? PART III – LITIGATION

Posted by Broder & Orland LLC on with 0 Comment

The previous posts in this series discussed mediation and collaborative divorce and this post will continue with litigation.

LITIGATION

You most likely associate the word “litigation” with nasty court room battles at a great expense. In some instances that is the case, however, “litigation” does not always have to be an expensive battle. In its simplest form, litigation is the process of taking legal action. Whether you choose mediation, collaborative, litigation, or alternative dispute resolution divorce models, you must take legal action against your spouse, which means a Marshal serves your spouse with the Summons, Complaint, and Automatic Orders, and then you file those documents with the Court. The differences between the various models hinge on what course you and your spouse decide to take after the action is filed with the Court. Sometimes you do not have a choice based on your spouse’s actions, and the default model is litigation. Irrespective of the model, you and your spouse must still resolve the same issues including legal custody, physical custody, alimony, child support, housing, division of bank, brokerage, and retirement accounts, and the division of personal property.

Continue reading “WHAT DIVORCE PROCESS IS RIGHT FOR ME? PART III – LITIGATION” →

PRENUPTIAL AGREEMENTS IN CONNECTICUT PART II: THE ENFORCEABILITY

Posted by Broder & Orland LLC on

At Broder & Orland, LLC, we often consult with divorce clients from Greenwich, Stamford, Darien, New Canaan, and Westport who entered into Prenuptial Agreements prior to getting married. Naturally, their first question when they arrive in our office is whether or not their Prenuptial Agreement is enforceable. They want to know how likely it is that a Court would uphold the terms of their Prenuptial Agreement if their case were to go to trial.

In some divorce cases, the parties agree at the time of the divorce to abide by the terms of the Prenuptial Agreement. In those relatively simple cases, the divorce judgment will incorporate the provisions of the Prenuptial Agreement and the parties can agree upon any issues not set forth in their Prenuptial Agreement.

Under Connecticut rules of practice, any party seeking the enforcement of a Prenuptial Agreement needs to let the other party know in his or her initial paperwork filed with the Court. For the Plaintiff seeking the enforcement of a Prenuptial Agreement, he or she pleads the Prenuptial Agreement in the divorce complaint. A Defendant seeking enforcement of a Prenuptial Agreement can file an Answer and Cross-Complaint seeking its enforcement. If a party does not wish to have the Prenuptial Agreement enforced, that party has sixty days from the date that the other party claims enforcement of the Prenuptial Agreement to file a reply requesting that the Prenuptial Agreement not be enforced. That party’s reply must state the grounds under which the party is seeking to have the Prenuptial Agreement invalidated. The purpose of these rules is to give each party ample notice early in the case as to the claims of the other with respect to the enforceability of the Prenuptial Agreement.

Continue reading “PRENUPTIAL AGREEMENTS IN CONNECTICUT PART II: THE ENFORCEABILITY” →

WHAT IS AN UNCONTESTED DIVORCE?

Posted by Broder & Orland LLC on with 0 Comment

“Do I have to go to Trial?” It is a question that family law attorneys who practice in Westport, Greenwich, Darien, New Canaan and Stamford are often asked by their clients. The answer is, “No”! When the parties to a divorce action are able to reach a settlement of all custody and financial issues, a formal Separation Agreement is drafted. The case is then scheduled for an Uncontested Divorce Hearing.

An Uncontested Divorce Hearing takes place at the Courthouse in the same type of courtroom in which a Trial would occur. The courtroom is open to the public, which means that depending on how busy the day is, there will likely be other people (litigants, attorneys) sitting in the Courtroom as they wait for their own matter to be heard. At the beginning of the Uncontested Divorce Hearing, the Plaintiff’s attorney will ask the Plaintiff to provide the parties’ background information to the Judge, such as the date of marriage, location of marriage, maiden name, length of residency in Connecticut, and the names and ages of any children of the marriage. These questions are asked in order to make sure that the Judge has appropriate jurisdiction to grant a divorce.

Next, the Judge will review the Separation Agreement. This is typically done by having the Plaintiff’s attorney review the salient points of the Agreement with the Plaintiff. The Agreement is reviewed before the Judge for a few reasons:

Continue reading “WHAT IS AN UNCONTESTED DIVORCE?” →

IN WHICH COURTHOUSE DO I FILE MY DIVORCE CASE AND WHO WILL BE THE JUDGE IF MY CASE GOES TO TRIAL?

Posted by Broder & Orland LLC on

Where do I file for divorce?

The Connecticut Statutes have specific provisions that govern which courthouse you are to file for divorce. It is dependent upon where either the Plaintiff or the Defendant resides. Specifically, in Fairfield County:

a.) If either party resides in the town of Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk, Stamford, Weston, Westport, or Wilton, the divorce action can be filed in the Stamford courthouse.

b.) If either party resides in towns such as Fairfield, Easton, Trumbull, Shelton, Bridgeport, or Monroe, the divorce action shall be filed in the Bridgeport courthouse.

If the parties have already separated and, for example, the Husband lives in Greenwich and the Wife lives in Fairfield, wherever the action is first filed is the courthouse that will handle the case.

Continue reading “IN WHICH COURTHOUSE DO I FILE MY DIVORCE CASE AND WHO WILL BE THE JUDGE IF MY CASE GOES TO TRIAL?” →

PREPARING FOR DIVORCE

Posted by Broder & Orland LLC on with 0 Comment

For most people, deciding to get divorced is not a snap decision. It often comes after many years of pain and turmoil in a marriage. Therefore, there should be sufficient time to prepare for divorce as it is critical to ensuring that the process goes as efficiently as possible.

Experienced divorce attorneys in Westport, Greenwich, Darien, New Canaan and Stamford, often are asked by a potential client in an initial meeting, “What should I be doing before filing for divorce to make sure the process goes as smoothly as possible?” The answer is multifaceted and often depends on the particular facts of the case but below are certain general steps that each divorce litigant should address prior to an action commencing:

Continue reading “PREPARING FOR DIVORCE” →