Post-judgment matters in Connecticut are the legal steps that come after your divorce or family case is final, used to change, enforce, or challenge an existing court order. Life keeps changing after a judgment, and many people return to court with Wolf & Shore Law Group when an order no longer fits.
What Is A Post-Judgment Action?
A post-judgment action is any request you file after the court has entered a final order in your case. People usually return to court after a real change in life, such as:
- A new job or job loss
- A significant change in income
- A planned move out of state
- A child’s changing needs
- A former spouse is ignoring the order
Connecticut handles these requests in the same Superior Court that issued your original judgment, usually in the judicial district where your case was decided. That keeps your full history in front of the judge, who can act on it.
How Do You Modify An Existing Order?
To change alimony, child support, or custody, you must show the court a substantial change in circumstances since the last order. Under Connecticut General Statutes § 46b-86, a judge can modify support when that standard is met. For child support, a difference of 15% or more from the state guidelines is presumed to be a substantial change.
Property division from your original divorce cannot be reopened, even though support and custody can. Modifications also usually take effect from the date you file your motion, not before, so the filing date itself shapes the relief you receive.
What If The Other Side Will Not Comply?
When a former spouse ignores a court order, you can ask the judge to enforce it through a motion for contempt. If the court finds a willful violation, it has real power to make things right, including:
- Ordering payment of what is owed
- Awarding your legal fees
- Setting a wage garnishment
- Adjusting the existing order
- Imposing fines or jail for refusal
Contempt is not about punishing an honest mistake, but about answering a deliberate refusal to follow the court. Clear records of missed payments or broken terms give a judge what is needed to act in your favor.
Can You Reargue Or Appeal A Decision?
If you believe the judge made a mistake, you have two main paths beyond a modification. A motion to reargue asks the same judge to revisit a clear error or overlooked point, while an appeal asks a higher court to review the decision for legal mistakes.
These options follow strict rules and narrow grounds, so they fit genuine legal errors rather than simple disappointment with the result. The Connecticut Appellate Court handles most family appeals, and it reviews the record rather than hearing your case over again.
Why Choose Wolf & Shore Law Group To Represent You In Your Post-Judgment Matter?
Ever argue with a woman? Let Wolf & Shore Law Group go to work for you. Our all-female practice assists clients with post-judgment family law matters throughout New Haven, Hartford, and Middlesex counties, whether you need to modify an existing order or enforce one that is not being followed. Call (203) 745-3151 to book a consultation and discuss the next steps with a clear strategy in place.
