If you have any questions about divorce in Connecticut, please contact Joseph Maya at 203-221-3100 or by email at JMaya@mayalaw.com.
Family Relations Services
Family Relations representatives are trained social workers and/or mediators who work for the State of Connecticut. Their primary objective is to assist parties in reaching agreements. In the event the parties are unable to reach an agreement regarding custody, Family Relations will perform an intake, which screens the parties regarding the current issues in the case and determines what level of services the parties qualify for. The services that Family Relations offers are: (1) Mediation; (2) Case Management; (3) Conflict Resolution Conference; (4) Issue Focused Evaluation; and (5) Comprehensive Evaluation.
The first three services offered by Family Relations focus on helping the parties work toward an agreement. The lowest level conflict cases are screened for mediation. Mediations are confidential meetings with the parties, their attorneys, if applicable, and a Family Relations counselor who will attempt to resolve the issues. The discussions that occur in mediation sessions cannot be used in court proceedings; settlement discussions are to remain confidential. The next level of service is a Case Management. A Family Relations Case Management is not the same as the Case Management Date or Case Management Agreement. Family Relations Case Management is similar to a mediation; however, the discussions are not confidential and upon request of a party or the court, the Family Relations counselor may report into the court on the status of the meetings. Case Managements most frequently occur when there is an issue that requires monitoring, such as compliance with alcohol monitoring or drug testing. The next level of service offered is a Conflict Resolution Conference. A Conflict Resolution Conference is a confidential meeting between the parties, their attorneys, if applicable, and a Family Relations Counselor, with a focus on the resolution of parenting issues.
In Issue Focused Evaluations and Comprehensive Evaluations, the Family Relations counselor acts as an investigator rather than a mediator. Parties are screened for Issue Focused Evaluations when there is a discrete issue that they cannot reach an agreement on. The parties will be screened for a Comprehensive Evaluation when there are multiple issues of disagreement or if there is no agreement as to the legal decision-making regarding the child(ren). The process for either evaluation is similar. The counselor will meet with the parties (individually or jointly), and the child(ren) with both parents. They will also interview collateral sources such as teachers, doctors, therapists, and coaches regarding the issue or issues. Once the investigation is complete, Family Relations will issue a summary and recommendations. The summary and recommendations are confidential and sealed by the Court. Additionally, the recommendations are not binding. However, the Court often uses them as a guide when fashioning orders. After the parties receive the recommendations, they have two weeks to reach an agreement or report to the Court that there is no agreement. In the event the case proceeds to a trial or hearing, the Court can order the Family Relations report unsealed and it then becomes public record that can be accessed by anyone who wishes to read it.
If you have any questions about divorce in Connecticut, please contact Joseph Maya at 203-221-3100 or by email at JMaya@mayalaw.com.
Parenting Education Program
Whenever a minor child is involved in a dissolution of marriage proceeding, both parents must attend parenting education classes. These classes are designed specifically to educate parents about how their separation may affect their children. By statute, the courses must include information regarding the developmental stages of children, adjustment of children to parental separation, dispute resolution and conflict management, guidelines for visitation, stress reduction in children and cooperative parenting.[1] There is a mandatory $150.00 participation fee; however, where a party is indigent, it may be waived by the court. Parenting education classes are generally six hours in total duration, and are typically offered in blocks of two or three hours at a time, or all six at once if one is so inclined. A parent should sign-up with the provider directly, and bring to the first class the Parenting Education Program Order, Certificate and Results form (JD-FM-149) which can be found under “Forms” on the State of Connecticut Judicial Website. Classes are available at several locations in Fairfield County, including Bridgeport, Norwalk, Stamford, and Greenwich, and a parent may find contact information for the various providers on the Connecticut Judicial Website. It is important to note that in the event a parent does not complete the program in a timely manner, the court may decline to enter orders in the case, enter orders in favor of the parent who completed the program, or may even decline to accept a separation agreement until both parents have done so.
If you have any questions about divorce in Connecticut, please contact Joseph Maya at 203-221-3100 or by email at JMaya@mayalaw.com.
[1] C.G.S. § 46b-69b.