GLASTONBURY, CONNECTICUT · FAMILY LAW + FAMILY-VIOLENCE DEFENSE
Connecticut has a streamlined track for couples whose circumstances are simple enough that a full dissolution process is more than the situation needs. It can conclude without a court appearance.
The eligibility rules are strict, and most people who ask about “quick online divorce” do not meet them. The ones who do should know it exists, because almost nobody tells them.
Both spouses must attest under oath, at filing, that all of the following are true:
If you see eight years and $35,000 quoted anywhere, that is the original 2015 version of the statute. The current figures are nine years and $80,000.
Both spouses file a joint petition — notarized, with financial affidavits. There is no plaintiff and no defendant, and no one is served.
The court assigns a disposition date at least 30 days after the petition is filed. If everything still qualifies and any settlement agreement is fair and equitable, the court can enter the decree without anyone appearing.
If the court cannot approve it, or does not enter a decree, the matter goes onto the regular docket.
This is the part that deserves attention before filing. Both spouses waive:
Those waivers are the trade for the speed and simplicity. For a short marriage with no children, no real estate, and few assets, they often cost nothing. If any of those facts is not quite right, they can cost a great deal.
Couples who have already filed and who meet every condition can file a joint petition in the existing case, without a new filing fee. The original complaint is superseded.
The eligibility list is unforgiving — a single condition failing takes you off this track. The conditions people most often miss are real property of any kind, a defined benefit pension, and the nine-year limit.
If you qualify, this is usually the right choice. If you do not, an uncontested divorce is the next simplest path.
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Connecticut divorce attorney Daniel M. Morton explains property division, alimony, and the process in the Hartford Judicial District. Glastonbury office.
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Every case starts with a conversation about what you’re facing and what it would take to handle it.
