While divorce can be a lengthy, complex process, it doesn’t have to be. If you meet certain requirements, it’s possible to get a divorce finalized in 35 days or less in Connecticut. This can be an ideal solution for couples who haven’t been married very long and don’t have children or significant assets.
To be eligible for a non-adversarial divorce (also called a “simple” divorce) in Connecticut, all of the following must be true about you and your spouse:
- You’ve been married for less than eight years.
- You have no biological or adopted children and are not expecting any children.
- You own no real estate.
- All of your property is worth no more than $35,000.
- You are not receiving Medicaid or applying to receive it.
- You don’t have any restraining or protective orders between each other.
- You don’t have a defined benefit pension plan through your employer.
- You are not applying for bankruptcy.
- You haven’t already applied for divorce in Connecticut or another state.
As for any no-fault divorce, you’ll also have to attest that your marriage has “irretrievably” broken down, and you’ll need to meet at least one of the following residency requirements:
- At least one of you will have lived in Connecticut for at least 12 months as of the date the divorce is finalized.
- At least one of you lived in the state while you were married and has now returned to Connecticut with the intention of living here indefinitely.
- Your marriage began to break down after one or both of you moved to Connecticut.
True to its name, the simple divorce process is fairly straightforward, since you won’t need to appear in court. If you’re eligible for a simple divorce, an attorney can help walk you through the process and make sure it goes as smoothly as possible, allowing you to move forward with your life.
