Guides
The parenting education program: Connecticut's 60-day requirement
General information about Connecticut court procedure, not legal advice.
If your Connecticut family case involves children, both parents must complete a parenting education program, and the clock is short: 60 days. It is not optional, it is not a punishment, and it has nothing to do with how good a parent anyone is. It is a standing requirement in every case about children, imposed by the automatic orders that bind both parents from the start of the case.
Who must complete it
Both parents, in cases involving children. The requirement appears in the Notice of Automatic Court Orders (form JD-FM-158), which takes effect against the person who starts the case at signing and against the other parent at service. It applies whether or not the parents were married.
The deadline
The automatic orders set it: within 60 days of the return day, or within 60 days of the filing in a custody or visitation application. The 60 days run separately for each parent's compliance, but the trigger date is the same for both.
The form
The court's form is the Parenting Education Program, Order, Certificate and Results (form JD-FM-149), one for each parent. It is how the program's completion gets into your court file.
Enrolling
The Judicial Branch approves the providers. The clerk's office or a Court Service Center can tell you how to enroll with an approved provider, what the program costs, and what formats are offered. Enroll early: the 60 days include however long it takes to get a seat and finish.
Where to get help
Connecticut's Court Service Centers offer free help for self-represented parties. The clerk's office can answer questions about procedure but cannot give legal advice. Legal aid organizations serve people who qualify. If you want legal advice, talk to a licensed Connecticut attorney.
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