Connecticut General Statutes/Title 46b/Chapter 815/Section 46b-3

CGS § 46b-3. (Formerly Sec. 51-332). Family relations personnel and other persons employed for investigation or pretrial conference.

(a) The Chief Court Administrator shall appoint such family relations personnel as the Chief Court Administrator deems necessary for the proper operation of the family relations sessions. The salaries and duties of such officers shall be determined by the judges of the Supreme Court 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 Adult Probation Services, physician, psychologist, psychiatrist or family counselor. The Chief Court Administrator may assign, reassign and modify the assignments of such family relations personnel as such administrator deems necessary to be in the best interest of the disposition of family relations matters.

(b) Family relations personnel are authorized to collect fees in accordance with the provisions of section 52-259.

Short History

(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; P.A. 22-26, S. 61; P.A. 24-108, S. 4.)

Long History

History: P.A. 76-436 added reference to compensation plan under Sec. 51-12 and provisions re effect of transfer of common pleas court personnel to superior courts on compensation and re assignment and reassignment decisions of chief court administrator, effective July 1, 1978; P.A. 78-280 deleted requirement that persons reassigned shall finish term of appointment at compensation received while serving in common pleas court; P.A. 79-585 replaced commission on adult probation with office of adult probation; Sec. 51-182e temporarily renumbered as Sec. 51-332 and ultimately transferred to Sec. 46b-3 in 1979; Nov. Sp. Sess. P.A. 81-6 added Subsec. (b) authorizing family relations personnel to collect fees under Secs. 17-31i and 52-259; P.A. 82-325 amended Subsec. (b) by deleting the authorization to collect fees in accordance with the provisions of “section 17-31i”; P.A. 22-26 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing “the Office of Adult Probation” with “Adult Probation Services”, effective May 10, 2022; P.A. 24-108 amended Subsec. (a) by substituting “Chief Court Administrator” for “judges of the Superior Court” re appointment of family relations personnel, by adding that judges of the Supreme Court determine salaries and duties of such officers and by deleting obsolete provisions re persons employed by Court of Common Pleas and family relations personnel assisting Probate Court in cases involving the marriage of minors, effective June 4, 2024.

Citations

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.