While it is common knowledge that divorce is no doubt challenging, there are still many who think they can handle their own divorces themselves without proper legal assistance. If you are seeking a Connecticut divorce, hiring an experienced New Haven divorce lawyer to assist you with the intricacies of filing for divorce and proceeding through the legal process is imperative. A New Haven divorce lawyer can advise you on your rights with regards to distribution of property, allocation of debt, alimony, child custody and support, as well as negotiate the best marital settlement agreement for you based on the unique circumstances of your life.
Connecticut is what is called an “all property equitable distribution state.” According to Conn. Gen. Stats. § 46b-81, this means that the Connecticut court has the power to assign to either spouse in a marriage “all or any part of the estate of the other.” Therefore, any property regardless of when or how acquired, including pre-marital or inherited property, can be re-distributed by the court in a divorce. See, North v. North,183 Conn. 35 (1981) and Lopiano v. Lopiano, 247 Conn. 356, 364 (1998). How a court will allocate property in your divorce will depend upon on all the facts and circumstances of your case, and can therefore be difficult to predict if you are not familiar with cases in your jurisdiction.
Consequently, reaching a marital settlement agreement in your divorce is most certainly preferable to going to trial and having a Judge make determinations affecting your financial life, since the wide breadth of discretion given to Connecticut family law judges makes it difficult to guarantee what the outcome will be. However, a seasoned Connecticut divorce lawyer has the know-how to negotiate an agreement for you that is in your best interests and is most closely aligned with your ultimate goals. If you are getting divorced, contact a local divorce lawyer today for a consultation