All Divorce and Family Courts in Connecticut rely heavily on the Court Support Services Division – better known as Family Relations to assist litigants in divorce, custody and financial matters. Family Relations Officers are also often involved in domestic violence cases in both the Family and Criminal Courts.
Pursuant to Connecticut Statutes, judges have the authority to order Family Relations in Connecticut to “investigate any circumstance of the case which may be helpful or material or relevant to a proper disposition of the case.” In other words, anything. As a result, any disputed issue in Family or Divorce Court will go through Family Relations at least once, if not more.
Here is some of what they do.
Family Relations Officers conduct Alternative Dispute Resolution Services such as:
- Negotiations of any motions which appear on the Short Calendar
- Mediation for custody and visitation disputes
- Conciliation Counseling to explore the possibility of a couple reconciling
- Pre-trial Settlement Conferences
The Family Relations Office also performs two types of Evaluations:
- Issue Focused Evaluations where the recommendation is limited to a specific subject.
- Comprehensive Evaluations, which are in-depth assessments of a family. A Family Relations Officer writes a report that sets forth a recommended Parenting Plan. Many times the report forms the basis of an agreement between the parties thereby avoiding costly and potentially emotionally damaging litigation.
Cooperate with Family Relations. They are trained professionals who see cases like yours daily. Much more often than not, they can forecast how a judge will view an issue.
Please contact me if you have questions about Family Relations in Connecticut.