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Section 46b-3 – (Formerly Sec. 51-332). Domestic relations officers and other employees

May 15, 2021 | Connecticut, Family Law

(a) The judges of the Superior Court shall appoint such domestic relations officers and other personnel as they deem necessary for the proper operation of the family relations sessions. The salaries and duties of such officers shall be determined by the judges in accordance with the compensation plan established under section 51-12. For the purposes of any investigation or pretrial conference the judge presiding at any family relations session may employ the services of any probation officer, including those under the direction of the Office of Adult Probation, physician, psychologist, psychiatrist or family counselor. Each person serving on July 1, 1978, in the Court of Common Pleas appointed under the provisions of section 51-156c, revised to 1975, shall continue to serve in the Superior Court. In no event shall the compensation of such person be affected solely as a result of the transfer of jurisdiction provided in section 51-164s. The Chief Court Administrator may assign, reassign and modify the assignments of such family relations personnel as he deems necessary to be in the best interest of the disposition of family relations matters. Such family relations personnel shall also be available to assist the courts of probate in cases involving judicial consent to marriage of a minor.
(b) Family relations personnel are authorized to collect fees in accordance with the provisions of section 52-259.

Conn. Gen. Stat. ยง 46b-3

(1959, P.A. 531, S. 5; P.A. 76-436, S. 10a, 92, 681; P.A. 78-280, S. 93, 127; P.A. 79-585, S. 7, 15; Nov. Sp. Sess. P.A. 81-6, S. 3, 4; P.A. 82-325, S. 5-7.)

There is no authority for domestic relations officers to resolve differences by rendering a decision concerning property distribution. 180 C. 528. Cited. 224 C. 776. Cited. 2 CA 472; 25 CA 693. Nothing in section and Sec. 46b-6 authorizes court to order parties in a custody battle to undergo postjudgment psychiatric therapy or other counseling since those provisions apply to pending family matters and trial court improperly ordered a postjudgment psychological evaluation and postjudgment counseling. 61 CA 175.

See Sec. 51-1d re transfer of duties of Family Division to Court Support Services Division.