Connecticut
Divorce, lawyers, and free legal help in Connecticut — verified against official sources.
How divorce filing works in Connecticut
The Connecticut Judicial Branch runs Self-Help pages with family forms grouped by case type, plus Court Service Centers for in-person guidance. Start there before anything else.
Connecticut Judicial Branch — Self-Help
The official starting point: family forms by case type and Court Service Centers.
jud.ct.gov — self-help →Find a divorce lawyer
FindaLawyerCT — Connecticut Bar Association
Searchable attorney directory by location and practice area. (A member directory, not a referral-matching service.)
ctbar.org — find a lawyer →New to hiring a lawyer? Read Start Here first — it covers what to ask and what to bring.
Free or low-cost legal help
CTLawHelp
Free legal information, created by Connecticut nonprofit legal-aid organizations.
ctlawhelp.org →Report Child Abuse or Neglect
Call 1-800-842-2288 — Connecticut DCF Careline, 24/7/365 (TDD 1-800-624-5518).
portal.ct.gov — report child abuse →Connecticut — Foreclosure Mediation Program
The Ezequiel Santiago Foreclosure Mediation Program (Judicial Branch, running since 2008): no application fee, for owner-occupants of 1–4 family primary residences in mortgage foreclosure cases.
jud.ct.gov — foreclosure homeowner FAQs →Call 211
Free, confidential referrals to local help. Dial 211 from any phone.
211.org →Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence
CTSafeConnect (888) 774-2900 — call, text, or chat 24/7; 18 member organizations across the state.
ctcadv.org →Unpaid wages in Connecticut
Your boss owes you pay and won't hand it over? Here's where to file and how long you have in Connecticut.
Where to go
Connecticut Department of Labor, Wage and Workplace Standards Division
Time limit to file
2 years
What the floor is
$16.94 (2026)
Changing your name in Connecticut
Whether it's marriage, divorce, or just time for a fresh start — here's the process in Connecticut.
How it works
petition the probate court (PC-901)
Typical court fee
varies by county — check your local court
Newspaper notice required?
unverified
Small claims court in Connecticut
Suing someone without a lawyer, for smaller amounts, in a simpler court. Here's how it works in Connecticut.
Maximum claim
$5,000 ($15,000 for home improvement contracts)
Filing fee
$95 flat
Can you bring one?
yes — allowed (not required)
Clearing your criminal record in Connecticut
Expungement or sealing can hide eligible arrests and convictions from background checks. Here's where Connecticut stands.
Can records be cleared?
yes — expungement (automatic Clean Slate erasure)
What qualifies
non-convictions; most misdemeanors; Class D/E felonies
Waiting period
7 years for misdemeanors, 10 years for Class D/E felonies (from most recent conviction)
Learn more about clearing your criminal record in Connecticut →
Child support in Connecticut
How child support gets calculated — and when it ends — in Connecticut.
How it's figured
income shares (both parents' net incomes combined) Commission for Child Support Guidelines schedule; worksheet on jud.ct.gov
When it ends
age 18, or age 19 if still in high school
Lemon law in Connecticut
Bought a new car that's constantly in the shop? Connecticut's lemon law may get you a refund or a replacement.
Which vehicles qualify
new and leased passenger vehicles and motorcycles
When it's legally a lemon
4+ repair attempts for same defect or 30+ calendar days out of service within 2 years/24,000 miles
What you get
refund or replacement vehicle
Tenant rights in Connecticut
Renting comes with rights most people never hear about until something goes wrong. Here are the key ones in Connecticut.
Notice before eviction
3-day notice to quit for nonpayment (after the 9-day grace period); 3-day notice to quit to end a month-to-month tenancy
Deposit limits & return
Max 2 months' rent (1 month's rent if tenant is 62 or older); return within 30 days with an itemized list
When the landlord won't fix things
May procure essential services/repairs and deduct actual reasonable cost after written notice; rent escrow available through Housing Court
DUI / DWI in Connecticut
Driving under the influence carries some of the stiffest penalties in everyday law. Here's how Connecticut handles it.
Blood alcohol (BAC) limit
0.08
Typical penalties
Up to 6 months in jail (48 hours mandatory or 100 hours community service option), $500-$1,000 fine, 45-day license suspension
How far back DUIs count
10 years
Gun laws in Connecticut
Gun laws vary a lot from state to state — what's perfectly legal in one state can be a crime in another. Here's the big picture for this state. Laws change often, so double-check anything before you act.
Carrying a concealed handgun
Permit required; may-issue (suitability clause); 21+
Carrying openly
Prohibited since Oct 1, 2023, with limited exceptions
Background checks & waiting periods
Private sales: Universal background checks required (via DESPP authorization number) Waiting period: 10 days (transfer no earlier than the 11th day after authorization).
Extreme risk protection
Yes — (risk warrant law). Courts can temporarily order firearms removed from someone found to be a danger.
Reciprocity
Does not recognize out-of-state permits
Filming the police: your rights in Connecticut
Federal appeals courts across the country have recognized a First Amendment right to photograph and record police officers performing their official duties in public. The U.S. Supreme Court has not ruled on it directly. The right does not protect interfering with officers, trespassing, or breaking other laws while you record.
One-party consent
If you are part of a conversation, you may record it — including with police. (Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 53a-187, 53a-189 (criminal); Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-570d (civil, phone calls))
No buffer-zone law
Connecticut has no law setting a minimum distance for filming police. You still must not interfere with officers doing their jobs.
Criminally it is one-party, but phone calls are all-party by civil law (§ 52-570d), so do not secretly record phone calls. In August 2026 the 2nd Circuit (Massimino v. Waterbury) recognized a First Amendment right to film police in public — binding in Connecticut.
Drug & alcohol addiction help in Connecticut
Addiction is a health issue, and help is out there — including court programs that can send people to treatment instead of jail. No insurance needed to call.
SAMHSA National Helpline
Free, confidential referrals to treatment — call 1-800-662-4357 (English & Spanish).
Human trafficking victims in Connecticut
If you or someone you know is being forced to work or forced into sex against their will, you are a victim of a crime and help is available — immigration status does not matter.
National Human Trafficking Hotline
Call 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733 — free, confidential, for victims and anyone who suspects trafficking.
Bullying in Connecticut
Every state has an anti-bullying law, and every school must have a plan. If your child is being bullied, document what happens and report it in writing to the school — and know what your state’s law requires.
Homelessness help in Connecticut
If you are homeless or at risk of losing your housing, help is close by. Shelters, food, health care, and long-term housing programs exist in every community.
211 homeless services
Dial 211 and press 6 for homeless services in your area.
VA homeless veterans
Homeless veterans: call the VA National Call Center at 1-877-424-3838 (877-4AID-VET), 24/7.
Deed fraud & squatters in Connecticut
Thieves can forge a deed to steal your home’s title — many counties offer free recording alerts that notify you if anything is filed against your property. And if someone is living in your property without permission, your state has specific rules for removing them: you generally cannot just change the locks.
FBI: protect your property from deed fraud
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center alert on parcel-owner impersonation →