Case Date in Connecticut Family Court

A Case Date in Connecticut Family Court replaces Short Calendar.  Before the pandemic, attorneys and clients would gather en masse at the Courthouse to have motions heard.  It was a largely inefficient process.  There was more bullshitting with colleagues than anything else.  Social Calendar was a more appropriate term.  It was not uncommon to hang around for hours just to meet with Family Services.  Then still more time wasted waiting to see a judge.  And after all that, the hearing was often rescheduled. 

But no more Social Calendar. Welcome to Case Date.

The Case Date is a new way to handle motion hearings.  Efficiency is the goal.  There are two distinct events scheduled.  Both are approximately 45 minutes. You do not appear in person at the courthouse.  Instead, the parties participate remotely.  

First, the parties will participate in a Family Relations conference.  This is mandatory via a teleconference.  A call in number and pass code is emailed. The purpose of the conference is to identify the issues in dispute and discuss a possible resolution.  Family Relations will discuss pending motions. They will also discuss a global settlement of the entire case.  However, this seems optimistic given the 45 minute time constraint. 

Next, the parties and their attorneys join a video conference with a Family Court judge.  The Family Court is currently using Microsoft Teams as the virtual platform.  During this virtual court appearance, the judge will approve agreements.  The judge may also conduct a brief hearing on routine issues such as entering child support or resolving minor discovery disputes.   If the matter does not fully resolve, additional dates will be assigned.  This will include a Scheduling Order and possibly a trial date.  It has not been determined whether the trial will be in person at the Courthouse or thru a virtual courtroom.