Do I need an attorney to ask the court to change a child support order?
No, you do not need an attorney to change a child support order – you can file the paperwork on your own. But it is a good idea to have an attorney, especially when the other parent has one. If you have very low income and can’t afford an attorney, call Statewide Legal Services’ telephone hotline at 860-344-0380 (Central CT & Middletown) or 1-800-453-3320 (all other areas in Connecticut) for legal advice. Statewide Legal Services does not guarantee representation.
If you do represent yourself, you should go to the courthouse that made the order and ask for help at the Court Service Center if one is open at that courthouse. The court staff can answer questions about court forms and help you understand what is going on, but they cannot give you legal advice or tell you how you should handle your case.
Support Enforcement Services is a program that helps parents modify child support orders. The people who work for Support Enforcement Services are not attorneys, but they can help you. If you already have a child support case with the program, you should ask them to see if a change is needed. Support Enforcement Services will do all of the work for you, including filling out the forms and telling you when your court date is. You will still have to go to court when you are told to. The Support Enforcement Services number in Connecticut is 1-800-228-5437.
Where do I file the court papers?
If the child support order was made in Connecticut, you should modify it in the court where the first order came from. If the court is far from your home and the other parent no longer lives in that town, you may be able to move the case closer to where you live. You can call Statewide Legal Services or ask someone at a Court Service Center for help with this.
If the court order wasn’t made in Connecticut, Support Enforcement Services may be able to help you modify it. If they are unable to help you, contact Statewide Legal Services for legal help.