What is the Waiting Period in Connecticut Divorces?

Unsurprisingly, people often ask us what the waiting period in Connecticut for divorces is. Many of Freed Marcroft’s divorce clients highly value their time, and one of their goals is that their divorce not be prolonged.

The short answer is there is a waiting period — but there are options to avoid it.

To learn more, read on.

The 90 Day Waiting Period for Connecticut Divorces

Traditionally, there is a 90 day waiting period before you can get a divorce in Connecticut.

When Does the 90 Day Waiting Period Begin and End?

The 90 Day Waiting Period begins on the Return Date, which marks the technical beginning of the divorce. (Note that the Return Date is not when the divorce papers are served on your spouse or filed with the Court.) The 90 Day Waiting Period ends on the “Case Management Date.” Along with the Return Date, Connecticut establishes your Case Management Date right when a spouse initiates the divorce. You can find it listed on your Summons.

Can You Avoid the Waiting Period?

The most significant opportunity to avoid the 90 Day Waiting Period and divorce more quickly is for spouses who have reached an agreement. When there is a full agreement in Connecticut, we can request that the Court waive the 90 Day Waiting Period. We commonly use this in mediation and collaborative divorces, designed to assist spouses in reaching full agreements outside of Court. We can also “waive 90” in divorce litigation when we’ve reached a complete settlement agreement via negotiation.

Next Steps

At Freed Marcroft, we want you to understand what is happening in your divorce. For our report “Your Connecticut Divorce Options,” please click here. Most importantly, you want a skilled legal strategy rooted in your goals. We designed our first step at Freed Marcroft, the Goals & Planning Conference, to get to the heart of your problem and unveil your true plans for your life. Once we discover your goals at the Goals and Planning Conference, we can take our collective experience with divorce, law, the available ways to divorce, strategy, courts, judges, and other lawyers and build a divorce customized for you.