Can I File for Divorce in Connecticut?

The state of Connecticut has unique residency requirements for people who wish to terminate their marriage. You must meet these state-specific requirements prior to filing with your local Superior court for your county in Connecticut. The Connecticut residency requirements are as follows:

A decree dissolving a marriage or granting a legal separation may be entered if: (1) One of the parties to the marriage has been a resident of this state for at least the twelve months next preceding the date of the filing of the complaint or next preceding the date of the decree; or (2) one of the parties was domiciled in this state at the time of the marriage and returned to this state with the intention of permanently remaining before the filing of the complaint; or (3) the cause for the dissolution of the marriage arose after either party moved into this state.

For the purposes of this section, any person who has served or is serving with the armed forces, as defined by section 27-103, or the merchant marine, and who was a resident of this state at the time of his or her entry shall be deemed to have continuously resided in this state during the time he or she has served or is serving with the armed forces or merchant marine.

The Dissolution of Marriage is typically filed with in county in which the filing spouse lives.

(Connecticut General Statutes - Title 46b - Chapter 44)

If you DO NOT meet at least one of the above Connecticut residency requirements, you have the following options:

• Establish residency in Connecticut for the period time set forth above (this does not mean you have to wait to begin the process of getting your documents).
• Have your spouse do the filing if he or she meets the Connecticut residency requirements.
• Choose another state in which you or your spouse meet the requirements (all states are unique, so be sure to check the state in which you were married as an option).

According to state law, a party must prove that he or she is a resident of Connecticut in order to file for divorce. The divorce paperwork requires a signed authentication that the petitioner is a resident of Connecticut for at least the past year. This is a state law, and making a false statement is perjury. Typically a Connecticut driver's license or state identification is sufficient if the court requires proof for some reason. An affidavit of a corroborating witness testifying about a party’s residency is also accepted.