A spouse generally may file for divorce in the state and county in which the spouse resides—or in which the other spouse resides. In many states the spouse must have lived in the state or county for a specified period of time before filing for divorce.
Laws regarding this residency requirement and where a lawsuit for divorce may be filed vary from state to state and with circumstances in which the spouses share minor children.
Laws regarding the requirements for filing for divorce are usually located in a state’s statutes—often in the family code or domestic relations code.
In Connecticut, a spouse seeking to file for divorce must meet certain residency requirements before initiating the process. According to Connecticut law, at least one of the spouses must have been a resident of the state for a continuous period of at least twelve months before the date of the filing of the divorce action or before the date of the divorce decree. Additionally, a divorce may be filed in the state if the cause for the divorce arose after either spouse moved into Connecticut. If there are minor children involved, the case should be filed in the county where the children reside. These requirements ensure that the Connecticut courts have jurisdiction over the divorce case. The specific statutes governing these requirements can be found in the Connecticut General Statutes under the family law or domestic relations sections.