Ending a marriage isn’t easy, but if your relationship has deteriorated to an irreparable point, it may be time to talk to a family law attorney about your options. Connecticut recognizes both fault-based and no-fault divorces, so it’s important to carefully consider which approach to take. How you file will have a major impact on your experience during the divorce process and play an integral role in the way your case is resolved. Here’s what you need to know about ending your marriage in Connecticut. 

A Guide to Divorce in Connecticut 

Accepted Grounds for Divorce 

If you are assigning fault to your spouse for the demise of your marriage, you must cite one of the grounds legally approved by Connecticut family law courts. You will also need to provide sufficient evidence to support your claim that the issue occurred. The only grounds deemed acceptable according to state law include:

• Adultery
• Willful desertion of at least one year
• Fraudulent contract
• Seven years absence from the marriage with no contact
• Habitual overindulgence in drugs or alcohol
• Intolerable cruelty
• Incarceration for at least one year
• Hospitalization for mental illness

A judge will likely take your cause for divorce into account when dividing assets and debt, awarding alimony, and deciding on child custody.

Alternative Options 

Should you wish to avoid as much conflict as possible, Connecticut offers several other methods for ending a marriage. For example, you can file a no-fault divorce. This allows you to file without assigning fault. Instead, you will either plead an irretrievable breakdown of marriage or incompatibility with proof you and your spouse have lived apart for at least 18 months and have no hope of reconciling.

Another option is to file for legal separation. If you aren’t sure you’re ready to divorce or have other reasons for wanting to stay legally married, Connecticut provides for a decree of legal separation. Marital property, debt, and child custody issues will be handled in the same manner as a divorce, but neither spouse will be free to remarry.

Finally, you can file for an annulment. This essentially declares that the marriage never existed. However, you must be able to show you and your spouse are closely related, one of you is already legally married, one of you was mentally incompetent at the time of marriage, one or both of you were forced into consenting, or one of you concealed a health condition that affects the relationship.

After making the difficult decision to divorce or separate, you will need a family law attorney who will support you through the process and be committed to protecting your interests. At The Law Offices of Conti, Levy and Salerno, LLC, you will find a legal team that offers more than 75 years of combined experience and a proven track record of success. Call their Torrington, CT office at (860) 482-4451 to arrange a consultation, or visit them online for more information about the family law services they provide residents throughout Litchfield County.