Connecticut custody orders address both major decisions for a child and the schedule under which the child spends time with each parent. A workable parenting plan should be specific enough to reduce conflict while remaining realistic for the child’s age, school, health and family circumstances.
Legal Custody and Parenting Time
Legal custody concerns decision-making about matters such as education, health care and religious upbringing. Parenting time describes when the child is with each parent. A court may order joint legal custody, sole legal custody or another arrangement supported by the facts. Joint custody does not necessarily mean equal parenting time.
The Child’s Best Interests
Under Connecticut General Statutes Section 46b-56, the court may consider a range of best-interest factors. These include the child’s needs, each parent’s ability to meet those needs, the child’s relationship with each parent, stability, the parties’ conduct and relevant safety concerns. No single schedule is automatically right for every family.
When parents agree to joint custody, Connecticut law creates a presumption that joint custody is in the child’s best interests. That presumption is tied to an agreement; it is not a rule that every contested case must result in joint custody.
Temporary and Emergency Orders
Temporary orders may be requested while a divorce or custody case is pending. In circumstances involving an immediate and present risk of physical danger or psychological harm, Section 46b-56f provides a process for emergency ex parte custody relief. Emergency applications require specific, reliable facts; they should not be used as a negotiating tactic.
Preparing a Parenting Plan
- Regular school-week and weekend schedules
- Holidays, vacations and school breaks
- Transportation and exchange details
- Decision-making and access to school or medical information
- Parent-child communication when the child is away
- Methods for resolving future disagreements
- Provisions addressing safety, travel or special needs when supported by the facts
Changing or Enforcing an Existing Order
A parent should not assume that an informal arrangement permanently changes a court order. Modification generally requires a proper court request and legally sufficient facts. Enforcement may be appropriate when an existing order is not followed. Relocation questions can raise additional statutory issues and should be reviewed before a move is made.
Related information: parental rights and responsibilities, child support and family-violence orders.
Discuss a Connecticut Family-Law Matter
Call (203) 373-9080 or use the contact form on this page. Submitting a form does not create an attorney-client relationship. Representation begins only after a conflicts check and a written engagement agreement.
Reviewed September 2026. Connecticut law and court procedures can change. This page provides general information and is not legal advice.
