Conn. Gen. Stat. » Title 46b — FAMILY LAW · Chapter 815j — Dissolution of Marriage, Legal Separation and Annulment
Connecticut General Statutes

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46b-53 (2025)

(Formerly Sec. 46-41). Conciliation procedures; privileged communications

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(a) On or after the return day of a complaint seeking the dissolution of a marriage or a legal separation, but prior to the entry of judgment, and prior to the expiration of the ninety days following the return date, either spouse or the counsel for any minor children of the marriage may submit a request for conciliation to the clerk of the court. The clerk shall forthwith enter an order that the parties meet with a conciliator mutually acceptable to them or, if the parties cannot agree as to a conciliator, with a conciliator named by the court. The conciliator shall, in any case, be a clergyman, a physician, a domestic relations officer or a person experienced in marriage counseling.

(b) Within such ninety-day period or within thirty days of the request, whichever is later, there shall be two mandatory consultations with the conciliator by each party to explore the possibility of reconciliation or of resolving the emotional problems which might lead to continuing conflicts following the dissolution of the marriage. Failure of the plaintiff or defendant to attend these consultations except for good cause shall preclude further action on the complaint until the expiration of six months from the date of the return day; provided the court may order the termination of such stay, upon the motion of either party and for good cause shown. Further consultations may be held with the consent of both parties, or, if the conciliator recommends one or more additional consultations and either one of the parties agrees, the court may order such additional consultations.

(c) All communications during these consultations shall be absolutely privileged, except that the conciliator shall report to the court whether or not the parties attended the consultations.

(d) The reasonable fees of the conciliator shall be paid by one or both of the parties as the court directs. No fee shall be charged by a domestic relations officer for such services. If the parties are unable to pay the fees which may be charged by the conciliator, only a domestic relations officer may be named as the conciliator.

(P.A. 73-373, S. 6; P.A. 74-169, S. 5, 18; P.A. 75-530, S. 11, 35; P.A. 78-230, S. 26, 54; P.A. 02-132, S. 80; P.A. 23-46, S. 3.)

History: P.A. 74-169 specified that each party must consult at least twice with conciliator; P.A. 75-530 referred to return day of complaint rather than its date of filing, authorized domestic relations officers to serve as conciliators, added proviso re termination of stay in proceedings and added exception re conciliators' fees; P.A. 78-230 divided section into Subsecs. and rephrased provisions; Sec. 46-41 transferred to Sec. 46b-53 in 1979 and reference to Sec. 46-44 revised to reflect its transfer; P.A. 02-132 amended Subsec. (b) by adding provisions re one or more additional consultations; P.A. 23-46 amended Subsec. (a) by adding “, but prior to the entry of judgment,” re time for filing a request for conciliation and replacing “ninety-day period specified in section 46b-67” with “ninety days following the return date,”.

See Sec. 46b-10 re reconciliation attempts ordered by court in action for dissolution of marriage, legal separation or annulment.

Cited. 5 CA 649; 23 CA 330.

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Notes of Decisions
Cited in 5 cases, 1983–2008 · leading case: Cabrera v. Cabrera, 580 A.2d 1227 (Conn. App. Ct. 1990).
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Cabrera v. Cabrera, 580 A.2d 1227 (Conn. App. Ct. 1990). · cites it 4× “In the absence of any statute or case law that is precisely on point, General Statutes § 46b-53, while not directly applicable, sheds light on the issue of privilege for marital counseling by a psychologist from a public policy perspective.”
Dutkiewicz v. Dutkiewicz, 957 A.2d 821 (Conn. 2008). “7 General Statutes § 46b-67 (a) provides in relevant part: “Following the expiration of ninety days after the day on which a complaint for dissolution or legal separation is made returnable, or after the expiration of six months, where proceedings have been stayed under section…”
Emerick v. Emerick, 502 A.2d 933 (Conn. App. Ct. 1985). “General Statutes *658 § 46b-53 (a). The need for “conciliation,” as here used, implies that a point of view needs to be unified, that compatibility is otherwise lacking, or that reconciliation of ideas must be had, before joint custody can work.”
LaCroix v. LaCroix, 457 A.2d 1076 (Conn. 1983). “waiting period, effect of decree, (a) Following the expiration of ninety days after the day on whieh a eomplaint for dissolution or legal separation is made returnable, or after the expiration of six months, where proceedings have been stayed under section 46b-53, the court may…”
Weinberg v. Weinberg, 874 A.2d 321 (Conn. App. Ct. 2005). · cites it 4× “2 In August, 2003, the defendant filed a written motion for conciliation pursuant to General Statutes § 46b-53. 3 Although the motion was *653 granted, the plaintiff refused to participate in the conciliation sessions set up by the defendant and did not arrange any sessions…”
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