Conn. Practice Book § 25a-30 (2026)

Sec. 25a-30. Support Enforcement Services In cases where the payment of alimony and/or support has been ordered, a support enforcement officer, where provided by statute, shall: (a) Whenever there is a default in any payment of alimony or support of children under judgments of dissolution of marriage or civil union or separa- tion, or of support under judgments of support, where necessary, (1) initiate and facilitate, but not advocate on behalf of either party, an application to a family support magistrate and issue an order requiring said party to appear before a family sup- port magistrate to show cause why such party should not be held in contempt, or (2) take such other action as is provided by rule or statute. (b) Review child support orders (1) in non-TFA Title IV-D cases at the request of either parent or custodial party subject to a support order, or upon receipt of information indicating a substantial change in circumstances of any party to the sup- port order, (2) in TFA cases, at the request of the 331 office of child support services, (3) as necessary to comply with federal requirements for the child support enforcement program mandated by Title IV-D of the Social Security Act, and initiate and facilitate, but not advocate on behalf of either party, an action before a family support magistrate to modify such support order if it is determined upon such review that the order substantially devi- ates from the child support guidelines established pursuant to General Statutes § 46b-215a or § 46b-215b. The requesting party shall have the right to such review every three years without proving a substantial change in circumstances; more frequent reviews shall be made only if the requesting party demonstrates a substantial change in circumstances. (c) In connection with subsection (a) or (b) above, or at any other time upon direction of a family support magistrate, investigate (1) the financial situation of the parties, using all appro- priate information and resources available to the Title IV-D child support program, including infor- mation obtained through electronic means from state and federal sources in the certified child support system, or (2) information about the status of participation in programs that increase the par- ty’s ability to fulfill the duty of support, and report his or her findings thereon to a family support magistrate and to the parties and upon direction of a family support magistrate facilitate agreements between parties. (Adopted June 21, 2010, to take effect Aug. 1, 2010.) (Sec. 25a-30 was temporarily assigned the number 25a-21 in the Connecticut Law Journal of July 13, 2010.)

© Copyrighted by the Secretary of the State of the State of Connecticut SUPERIOR COURT—PROCEDURE IN JUVENILE MATTERS Sec. 26-1 SUPERIOR COURT—PROCEDURE IN JUVENILE MATTERS CHAPTER 26 GENERAL PROVISIONS (Amended June 15, 2012, to take effect Jan. 1, 2013.) Sec. Sec. 26-1. Definitions Applicable to Proceedings on Juvenile Matters For previous Histories and Commentaries see the editions of the Practice Book corresponding to the years of the previous amendments. Sec. 26-1. Definitions Applicable to Pro- ceedings on Juvenile Matters In these definitions and in the rules of practice and procedure on juvenile matters, the singular shall include the plural and the plural, the singular where appropriate. (a) The definitions of the terms ‘‘child,’’ ‘‘abused,’’ ‘‘delinquent,’’ ‘‘delinquent act,’’ ‘‘neglected,’’ ‘‘uncared for,’’ ‘‘alcohol-dependent,’’ ‘‘drug-dependent,’’ ‘‘seri- ous juvenile offense,’’ ‘‘serious juvenile offender,’’ ‘‘serious juvenile repeat offender,’’ ‘‘predisposi- tional study,’’ and ‘‘risk and needs assessment’’ shall be as set forth in General Statutes § 46b- 120. The definition of ‘‘victim’’ shall be as set forth in General Statutes § 46b-122. The definition of ‘‘youth’’ shall be as set forth in General Statutes § 54-76b. (b) ‘‘Alleged genetic parent’’ means a person who is alleged to be, or alleges that the person is, a genetic parent or possible genetic parent of a child or youth whose parentage has not been adjudicated. ‘‘Alleged genetic parent’’ includes an alleged genetic father and alleged genetic mother. ‘‘Alleged genetic parent’’ shall not include: (1) a presumed parent; (2) a person whose parental rights have been terminated or declared not to exist; or (3) a donor. (c) ‘‘Clinical Coordinator’’ means a licensed mental health professional with specialized foren- sic training and employed by the court support services division of the Judicial Branch to provide consultation and assessment in delinquency mat- ters related to the behavioral health and mental health of the child. (d) ‘‘Clinical Consultation’’ means the process by which the Clinical Coordinator provides guid- ance regarding mental health treatment or evalua- tion needs. (e) ‘‘Commitment’’ means an order of the judi- cial authority whereby custody and/or guardian- ship of a child or youth are transferred to the 332 26-2. Persons in Attendance at Hearings 26-3. Case Initiation; Electronic Filing Commissioner of the Department of Children and Families. (f) ‘‘Complaint’’ means a written allegation or statement presented to the judicial authority that a child’s or youth’s conduct as a delinquent brings the child or youth within the jurisdiction of the judicial authority as prescribed by General Stat- utes § 46b-121. (g) ‘‘Forensic Clinical Assessment’’ means a court-ordered evaluation that is performed as part of the legal decision-making process to assist the court and others in decisions regarding interven- tions by taking into account the child’s or youth’s mental conditions, ability, behaviors, and relevant risk factors. (h) ‘‘Guardian’’ means a person who has a judi- cially created relationship with a child or youth, which is intended to be permanent and self-sus- taining, as evidenced by the transfer to the care- taker of the following parental rights with respect to the child or youth: protection, education, care and control of the person, custody of the person and decision making. (i) ‘‘Hearing’’ means an activity of the court on the record in the presence of a judicial authority and shall include: (1) ‘‘Adjudicatory hearing’’ is a court hearing to determine the validity of the facts alleged in a petition or information to establish thereby the judicial authority’s jurisdiction to decide the matter which is the subject of the peti- tion or information; (2) ‘‘Contested hearing on an order of temporary custody’’ means a hearing on an ex parte order of temporary custody or an order to appear which is held not later than ten days from the day of a preliminary hearing on such orders. Contested hearings shall be held on con- secutive days except for compelling circum- stances or at the request of the respondent; (3) ‘‘Dispositional hearing’’ is a court hearing in which the judicial authority, after considering the social

© Copyrighted by the Secretary of the State of the State of Connecticut SUPERIOR COURT—PROCEDURE IN JUVENILE MATTERS Sec. 26-1 study or predispositional study and the total cir- cumstances of the child or youth, orders whatever action is in the best interests of the child or youth or family and, where applicable, the community. In the discretion of the judicial authority, evidence concerning adjudication and disposition may be presented in a single hearing; (4) ‘‘Preliminary hearing’’ means a hearing on an ex parte order of temporary custody or an order to appear or the first hearing on a petition alleging that a child or youth is uncared for, abused, or neglected. A pre- liminary hearing on any ex parte custody order or order to appear shall be held not later than ten days from the issuance of the order; (5) ‘‘Plea hearing’’ is a hearing at which (A) a parent or guardian who is a named respondent in a neglect, uncared for or dependency petition, upon being advised of their rights, admits, denies, or pleads nolo contendere to allegations contained in the petition; or (B) a child or youth who is a named respondent in a delinquency petition or informa- tion enters a plea of not guilty, guilty, or nolo con- tendere upon being advised of the charges against them contained in the information or peti- tion; (6) ‘‘Probation status review hearing’’ means a hearing requested, ex parte, by a probation offi- cer regardless of whether a new offense or viola- tion has been filed. The court may grant the ex parte request, in the best interest of the child or youth or the public, and convene a hearing on the request within seven days. (j) ‘‘Indian child’’ means an unmarried person under age eighteen who is either a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe or is eligible for membership in a federally recognized Indian tribe and is the biological child of a member of a feder- ally recognized Indian tribe, and is involved in custody proceedings, excluding delinquency pro- ceedings. (k) ‘‘Juvenile residential center’’ means a hard- ware-secured residential facility operated by the court support services division of the Judicial Branch that includes direct staff supervision, sur- veillance enhancements and physical barriers that allow for close supervision and controlled movement in a treatment setting for preadjudi- cated juveniles and juveniles adjudicated as delinquent. (l) ‘‘Parent’’ means a person who has estab- lished a parent-child relationship pursuant to Gen- eral Statutes § 46b-471. (m) ‘‘Parties’’ includes: (1) The child or youth who is the subject of a proceeding; (2) any person, including a parent, whose legal relationship to the matter pending before the judicial authority is of such a nature and kind as to mandate the receipt of proper legal notice as a condition precedent to 333 the establishment of the judicial authority’s juris- diction to adjudicate the matter pending before it; and (3) any person who is permitted to intervene in accordance with Section 35a-4. (n) ‘‘Person presumed to be the parent pursuant to General Statutes § 46b-488 (a) (3)’’ means a person who jointly with another parent, resided in the same household with the child and openly held out the child as the person’s own child from the time the child was born or adopted and for a period of at least two years thereafter, including any period of temporary absence. (o) ‘‘Permanency plan’’ means a plan devel- oped by the Commissioner of the Department of Children and Families for the permanent place- ment of a child or youth in the commissioner’s care. Permanency plans shall be reviewed by the judicial authority as prescribed in General Stat- utes §§ 17a-110 (b), 17a-111b (c) and 46b-129 (k). (p) ‘‘Petition’’ means a formal pleading, exe- cuted under oath, alleging that the respondent is within the judicial authority’s jurisdiction to adjudi- cate the matter which is the subject of the petition by reason of cited statutory provisions and seek- ing a disposition. Except for a petition for erasure of record, such petitions invoke a judicial hearing and shall be filed by any one of the parties author- ized to do so by statute. (q) ‘‘Information’’ means a formal pleading filed by a prosecutor alleging that a child or youth in a delinquency matter is within the judicial author- ity’s jurisdiction. (r) ‘‘Probation supervision’’ means a legal status whereby a child or youth who has been adjudi- cated delinquent is placed by the court under the supervision of juvenile probation for a specified period of time and upon such terms as the court determines. (s) ‘‘Probation supervision with residential placement’’ means a legal status whereby a child or youth who has been adjudicated delinquent is placed by the court under the supervision of juve- nile probation for a specified period of time, upon such terms as the court determines, that include a period of placement in a secure or staff-secure residential treatment facility, as ordered by the court, and a period of supervision in the com- munity. (t) ‘‘Respondent’’ means a child or youth who is alleged to be a delinquent, or a parent or a guardian of a child or youth who is the subject of a petition alleging that the child or youth is uncared for, abused, neglected, or requesting termination of parental rights. (u) ‘‘Secure-residential facility’’ means a hard- ware-secured residential facility that includes

© Copyrighted by the Secretary of the State of the State of Connecticut SUPERIOR COURT—PROCEDURE IN JUVENILE MATTERS