Connecticut Divorce Residency Requirements
You must meet Connecticut’s divorce residency requirements before you can file for divorce in Connecticut.
Read on to learn more.
Establishing Residency in Connecticut Divorces
There are three main ways to establish residency for a divorce in Connecticut. For all three, at least one spouse must meet the requirement for Connecticut’s courts to have jurisdiction over the divorce. In other words, if one spouse meets one of the below requirements, you can file in CT.
Read: Requirements for Divorce in Connecticut
Residency When You Live in Connecticut
You can file your divorce in Connecticut if either you or your spouse have lived in Connecticut for at least 12 consecutive months before either (1) you file the divorce or (2) the divorce is finalized. In other words, as long as you or your spouse will have lived in Connecticut for 12 months by the time your divorce is final, you meet the residency requirement.
Divorce When You Return to Connecticut
The second way to establish residency so you can file for divorce in Connecticut involves moving back to Connecticut. More specifically, if you or your spouse lived in CT when you married, moved away, and then returned to live permanently, you can file your divorce here.
Residency When Your Marriage Broke Down in CT
The third, and least common, route to Connecticut divorce residency is based on where the marriage broke down. This approach doesn’t depend on how long either spouse has lived in Connecticut or on where you married. In other words, if the marriage broke down after one of you moved to Connecticut, our courts have jurisdiction.
One of the reasons that this is an uncommon path to residency is that it is less straightforward. In other words, it is complicated to determine where a marriage broke down.
Next Steps
In order to file for divorce in Connecticut, it’s essential to meet the residency requirement. If you have any questions about how the residence requirement might work in your situation, please reach out to us.
