Divorce & Legal Separation

West Hartford, Connecticut, Divorce Attorneys

Connecticut is a no-fault divorce state. To obtain a divorce, all you have to have is a marriage that is broken and can't be fixed. By broken, we mean that the breakdown of your marriage is irretrievable and there is no chance of reconciliation. You don’t have to allege or prove any fault, such as adultery, cruel and inhuman treatment, or abandonment.

As lawyers, we can help you navigate all of the issues that may be a part of your divorce, including child custody and access, child support, property division and relocation disputes. While we always attempt to resolve divorce through negotiations, we also handle high-conflict divorces where the parties can not agree about anything.  We are aggressive litigators when we need to be so that we are able to protect your interests.

By the end of a divorce case, we want to have created a structure that the family can live with for the rest of their lives. We have a checklist that we work through with every client to make sure we cover all of the issues. We don't want you to have to go to a lawyer for a modification two years after your divorce because we missed something.

At Swerdloff & Swerdloff, we believe that dissolution of a marriage—which is the legal name for divorce in Connecticut—is a restructuring of a family, not the destruction of a family. If you have children, you will still be a family after your divorce. You will have a lifetime of events ahead of you that will be family-oriented, such as weddings, the births of grandchildren, and events of religious significance.

We offer mediation services when appropriate to help you and your spouse resolve disagreements amicably.

Legal Separation in Connecticut

Some people choose a legal separation for religious reasons or for some other reason such as being able to continue providing medical insurance for a former spouse who has existing medical issues. While there are fewer health insurance carriers that will allow you to cover a spouse who is legally separated, there are some that will.

The legal separation process is the same as the divorce process in Connecticut. You divide all of your property and make a plan for your children regarding custody and support. However, you do remain married under the law. While you cannot remarry, you can move on with your life. Following your legal separation, either party can convert the separation to a divorce by filing a legal motion. The court cannot object to a request to convert a legal separation to a dissolution and will always do so upon proper request.

If you have a question or concern about divorce or legal separation, we invite you to contact attorneys Mark and Ileen Swerdloff today.