Current through August 12, 2025 (2026 Practice Book edition) · Last verified July 9, 2026
In one sentenceThis section puts the family services unit at the court’s disposal for custody, visitation, financial, mediation and case management issues, including evaluations, and bars counsel from contacting an evaluator until the evaluation is filed.
Full Text of Section 25-61
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The family services unit shall, at the request of the judicial authority, provide assistance with regard to issues concerning custody, visitation, finances, mediation, case management and such other matters as the judicial authority may direct, including, but not limited to, an evaluation of any party or any child in a family proceeding. If an evaluation of a party or child is requested by the judicial authority, counsel for the party or child shall not initiate contact with the evaluator, unless otherwise ordered by the judicial authority, until the evaluation is filed with the clerk pursuant to Section 25-60 (b).
End
Amendment History
(P.B. 1998.) (Amended June 14, 2013, to take effect Jan. 1, 2014.)
Plain-English Summary
At the judicial authority’s request, the family services unit assists with issues of custody, visitation, finances, mediation, case management and whatever else the court directs — including an evaluation of any party or any child in a family proceeding.
The second sentence protects the evaluator’s independence. Where the court has requested an evaluation of a party or child, counsel for that party or child may not initiate contact with the evaluator until the evaluation is filed with the clerk, unless the court orders otherwise.
The same bar appears for private evaluations in Section 25-60A. In both places the point is that the evaluator’s conclusions should be formed before the advocates arrive.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Connecticut family services unit do?
At the judicial authority’s request it assists with custody, visitation, finances, mediation, case management and other matters the court directs, including an evaluation of any party or any child in a family proceeding.
Can my lawyer talk to the family services evaluator?
Not until the evaluation is filed with the clerk, unless the judicial authority orders otherwise.
Source & verification. The section text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Connecticut Practice Book (Conn. Practice Book § 25-61). 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
Also known as:family services unit Connecticut courtPractice Book section 25-61family relations evaluation CTcontacting the evaluator Connecticut custody