Section 25-5A.Automatic Orders upon Service of Petition for Child Support
Current through August 12, 2025 (2026 Practice Book edition) · Last verified July 9, 2026
In one sentenceThis section applies a single automatic order to child support petitions — neither party may drop the other party or the children from medical, hospital or dental insurance — and requires the order and a contempt warning to be printed on the petition.
(a)The following automatic orders shall apply to both parties, with service of the automatic orders to be made with service of process of a petition for child support. An automatic order shall not apply if there is a prior, contradictory order of a judicial authority. The automatic orders shall be effective with regard to the petitioner or the applicant upon the signing of the document initiating the action (whether it be complaint, petition or application), and with regard to the respondent, upon service and shall remain in place during the pendency of the action, unless terminated, modified, or amended by further order of a judicial authority upon motion of either of the parties: Neither party shall cause the other party or the children who are the subject of the complaint, application or petition to be removed from any medical, hospital and dental insurance coverage, and each party shall maintain the existing medical, hospital and dental insurance coverage in full force and effect.
(b)The automatic orders of a judicial authority as enumerated in subsection (a) shall be set forth immediately following the party’s requested relief in any complaint, petition or application, and shall set forth the following language in bold letters: If you do not follow or obey these orders, you may be punished by contempt of court. If you object to these orders or would like to have them changed or modified while your case is pending, you have the right to a hearing by a judicial authority within a reasonable time. The clerk shall not accept for filing any complaint, petition or application that does not comply with this subsection.
End
Amendment History
(Adopted June 20, 2011, to take effect Jan. 1, 2012.)
Plain-English Summary
A petition for child support carries automatic orders too, but only one of them. Served with the process, effective against the petitioner on signing the initiating document and against the respondent on service, and lasting while the case is pending unless a judge changes it, the order is this: neither party may cause the other party or the children who are the subject of the complaint, application or petition to be removed from any medical, hospital and dental insurance coverage, and each must keep the existing coverage in full force and effect.
As with the fuller set of orders, the text must appear immediately after the requested relief, in bold letters, with a warning that not obeying may be punished by contempt and a statement that a party who objects or wants the orders changed has the right to a hearing by a judicial authority within a reasonable time. The clerk may not accept a filing that does not comply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do automatic orders apply to a Connecticut child support case?
Yes, but only one: neither party may remove the other party or the children from medical, hospital and dental insurance coverage, and each must maintain the existing coverage.
Where do the orders appear on the petition?
Immediately following the party’s requested relief, in bold letters, with the contempt warning and the statement of the right to a hearing. The clerk shall not accept a filing that does not comply.
Source & verification. The section text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Connecticut Practice Book (Conn. Practice Book § 25-5A). Prescribed by the Judges of the Superior Court of Connecticut (Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 51-14). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 9, 2026. ·
Official source
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