Child Custody Laws in Connecticut

Custody is decided by the child's best interests. Factors the court may consider include the child's physical and emotional safety, temperament and developmental needs, the parents' ability to meet those needs, information from the child including the child's informed preferences, the parents' wishes, the child's relationships with family members, each parent's willingness to support the child's relationship with the other parent, manipulation or coercion of the child, stability, health of all involved, cultural background, domestic violence, abuse or neglect, and completion of a parenting education program. Joint custody is presumed to be in the child's best interests when both parents agree to it.

A person seeking custody in a custody or divorce case may apply to the Superior Court for an emergency ex parte order of custody when they believe there is an immediate and present risk of physical danger or psychological harm to the child. The application must include a sworn affidavit describing the emergency, stating that the order is in the child's best interests, and explaining what was done to notify the other party (or why the court should act without notice). If the court finds such a risk, it may grant temporary custody or visitation and bar the other party from taking the child out of state, interfering with custody or the child's schooling, or other specific acts. If the order is issued ex parte, a hearing must be scheduled within 14 days, and the other party must be served at least five days before the hearing.

Yes. In divorce and other family cases involving a minor child, the court orders the parties to attend the Judicial Branch's parenting education program, unless the parties agree not to with court approval, the court finds it unnecessary, or they complete a comparable program. The program costs no more than $200 per person (indexed for inflation), no one may be excluded for inability to pay, and it lasts no more than 10 hours.