Author: Dori-Ellen Feltman

What To Do If DCF Knocks On My Door

Dori-Ellen Feltman | March 14, 2023

The involvement of DCF (The Department of Children and Family Services) https://portal.ct.gov/dcf in your family can come about as a result of many different scenarios, including (1) you and your spouse being involved in a domestic violence incident when your child is home; (2) a therapist, teacher, coach or other mandated reporter contacts DCF as Read More

Do I Have to Pay For College if I Get Divorced?

Dori-Ellen Feltman | September 20, 2022

Parents cannot be forced to pay for college unless they get divorced!  As part of any court settlement or after a trial, there will likely be a provision in your court order requiring one or both parents to contribute to the cost of college for their minor children.  C.G.S. 46b-56c.  But there are limits: The Read More

10 Facts You Need to Know About the New Texas Abortion Law (SB-8) “The Texas Heartbeat Act”:

Dori-Ellen Feltman | September 8, 2021

Under current Federal law, a State may not restrict the right of a woman to secure an abortion during the first trimester of pregnancy.  In Roe v Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973), an all-male Supreme Court struck down a Texas statute banning and criminalizing all abortions unless there was a medical emergency.  In Roe v Read More

Growing Corn at Home In Connecticut

Dori-Ellen Feltman | August 3, 2021

Growing corn at home is fun and will impress your friends when the plants are 10 feet high!  You will need a sunny area for planting – I recommend 4 feet wide and 10 feet long.  Follow these guidelines for the best success: Start your corn plants indoors. Buy a plastic seed starting kit at Read More

Gardening With Kids

Dori-Ellen Feltman | May 25, 2021

GARDENING WITH KIDS: As many of you know, when I get home after work my favorite thing to do in the Spring and Summer is to change into some old clothes, throw on a pair of gloves, grab a shovel and start working the dirt in my vegetable and flower gardens.  I thought I would Read More

Will Child Support Enforcement Take My Tax Refund or Third Stimulus Check?

Dori-Ellen Feltman | April 1, 2021

What is the Treasury Offset Program “TOP”?  The TOP collects delinquent debts such as child support arrears from tax refunds, certain economic stimulus payments and social security payments.  When you have a child support arrearage, the TOP helps Child Support Enforcement collect the debt by holding money back from a Federal payment to the debtor.  Read More

Cohabitation – Will Alimony End?

Dori-Ellen Feltman | March 22, 2021

What is Connecticut’s cohabitation law? Conn. General Statutes §46b-86(b), the so-called “cohabitation statute”, was enacted by the legislature to correct the injustice of making a party pay alimony when his or her ex-spouse is cohabitating with another person, without marrying, for the purpose of preventing the loss of the alimony support order. The statute does Read More

Will I Lose My Medical Insurance Once I’m Divorced?

Dori-Ellen Feltman | February 16, 2021

Once a divorce is finalized, employer-sponsored medical insurance plans do not allow the employee to continue to maintain medical insurance for his or her former spouse.  With some insurance plans the former spouse’s insurance will remain in effect until the end of the month following the date of divorce. With other plans the insurance will Read More

Connecticut Has Changed Its Travel Restrictions For Minors Travelling Pursuant to a Custody Order!

Dori-Ellen Feltman | February 2, 2021

Just recently, Connecticut modified its travel restrictions for children travelling between households from an “affected state” such as Massachusetts to Connecticut pursuant to a custody order.   Previously, Connecticut did not exempt minors travelling to Connecticut from having to quarantine in Connecticut for 10 days or test negative for Covid within 72 hours of entering Connecticut.  Read More

Will Divorce Mediation Work for Me?

Dori-Ellen Feltman | January 19, 2021

With the Courts being closed for in-person business, and with virtual hearing dates delayed because of the backlog in cases needing attention, some families are turning to mediation to resolve their divorce.  As a family law practitioner, I will share some of my thoughts on the mediation process and whether mediation will work for you. Read More