Family Law

Need a Family Law Attorney in Stamford, Connecticut? Contact Brandner & Ponzini, Attorneys At Law

Stamford, Connecticut Family Law Attorney

Experienced Counsel in Divorce and Custody

While the issues in divorce are emotional and complex, our philosophy is to help clients pave a path to a new life without burning bridges in the process. Our family law practice is dedicated to protecting your interests while negotiating fair and equitable agreements on marital property, child custody, and financial support.

Brandner & Ponzini, a Stamford, Connecticut law firm serving Fairfield and New Haven counties, is knowledgeable about every aspect of family law. We do not seek out divorce and custody battles, but we are aggressive advocates and experienced trial lawyers if it comes to that.

Free Initial Consultation: Fill out our online form or call (203) 327-6913 | (203) 327-5609

Divorce and Division of Assets

To receive a divorce in Connecticut, couples must first adhere to a 90-day "cooling off" period to allow for reconciliation. (The court cannot enter a divorce decree before that time.) A typical divorce with disputed issues takes six to eight months. We can negotiate an interim separation agreement and file motions for temporary financial support, temporary child custody, and exclusive possession of the home.

At any point after filing for divorce, the discovery process can begin regarding marital assets. Brandner & Ponzini has extensive experience in valuation of assets for equitable distribution, for the average couple or for complex estates:

• A significant closely held business (manufacturing company, professional practice)
• The home and other properties
• Stocks and other investments
• Retirement portfolios

Pensions, IRAs and 401(k)'s are divided through a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) - the court awards one party a percentage interest in the other spouse's retirement funds. We hire actuaries with the highest qualifications to help determine the worth of joint assets, as expert evidence will be required if your divorce goes to trial.

If you and your estranged spouse are getting along, we try to keep it that way by negotiating with opposing counsel for an amicable property settlement. If the other party is uncooperative and we need to go to court, you are in capable hands of experienced divorce litigators.

Spousal Support

The court considers ten factors in deciding whether to award spousal support (alimony), how much, and for how long. The chief factors are length of marriage and disparity in income. A wife who stayed home to raise the children for 20 years, who now earns less than half what the husband makes, would likely receive lifetime alimony (until death or remarriage). In other cases, the court might award spousal support for only a few years to allow recipients to "get back on their feet." Our role is to ensure the court has accurate information about income and expenses.

Child Custody and Visitation

Brandner & Ponzini realizes that an end to your marriage does not mean an end to your family. The ongoing relationship with your former spouse as a co-parent should be taken into account in disputes over custody and visitation. Most clients are quickly discouraged from a full-fledged custody contest because of the financial and emotional toll on all involved. We help parents negotiate a satisfactory agreement, prepare for mediation in Middletown Court, or aggressively protect their interests in litigation.

Custody refers not only to the physical residence of the child, but to parental responsibility and decision-making. (A judge recently awarded my client authority over education decisions for a child that lived with the other parent.) In most cases both parents retain joint custody, with the child living primarily with one parent. The custody agreement spells out the number of overnight visits with the other parent, and specifics about exchange, weekends, holidays, etc. Sole custody is awarded only in cases of child abuse or the parent's substance abuse, in which case the noncustodial parent would have supervised visitation (if any).

Child Support

Determination of child support is based on state guidelines regarding income, time spent with the child and other factors. We fill out the child support worksheet, and look at whether there is a basis to deviate from the guidelines.

Modifications of Orders and Agreements

After divorce, one parent's change in circumstances may necessitate modifying a custody agreement, child support order, or spousal support. Child support can be increased or decreased if one parent has a significant change in income or employment, or a hardship. The custodial parent may wish to relocate out of state with the child. We represent clients in family court hearings to seek or challenge a modification petition.

Prenuptial Agreements

A premarital agreement specifies which assets are separately owned and which are jointly held (and thus subject to equitable distribution in a divorce). These contracts are very important for a second marriage, not only to waive a spouse's right to your estate, but to protect inheritance rights of children from the first marriage. Our divorce lawyers draft prenuptial agreements carefully to make them enforceable.

Other Family Law Issues

• Stepparent adoption (including termination of parental rights)
• Paternity actions (to gain child support or visitation rights)
• Applications for relief from abuse (domestic violence restraining orders)

If you are seeking divorce, or your spouse has initiated proceedings, contact the Connecticut divorce and family law attorneys of Brandner & Ponzini for aggressive protection of your interests while seeking common ground for difficult issues. We offer a free initial consultation.