Connecticut Court & Family Education Guide

Information for anyone navigating a court order, custody case, or probation requirement in Connecticut that involves anger management, parenting, co-parenting, or substance-abuse education.

What does Clearway offer?

People are sometimes ordered or referred to an educational program as part of a family-law, custody, probation, or other Connecticut court-related matter. The type of program required can depend on the circumstances of the case and the exact wording of the court order.

Clearway Institute offers four self-paced online courses: anger management, parenting, co-parenting, and substance-abuse education. Not every course is appropriate for every court order, and completing an online course does not automatically mean a particular Connecticut court, probation department, or agency will accept it — always read your order carefully and confirm the required program with the court, probation officer, attorney, or other referring agency when you're not sure.

Which type of class do you need?

Start with whichever matches your order or situation — each course page has the full curriculum before you enroll.

What if a Connecticut court ordered it?

Connecticut has no statewide statute requiring a certified anger-management class after an assault conviction. Instead, under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46b-38c, family violence response units in each Superior Court area assess offenders, and a judge may set conditions at the first appearance, including a protective order or referral to the pretrial family violence education program. Eligible first-time defendants can be placed in that program for up to two years and may then apply for dismissal.

On the civil side, a family or household member who is a victim of domestic violence can apply for a restraining order under § 46b-15. A hearing follows within 14 days of any ex parte order, and no order may last longer than one year, though it can be extended. In family cases, any counseling or parenting-education requirement comes from the judge, for example under § 46b-56. Confirm exactly what your own order requires before enrolling in any course.

What's the difference between classes?

Parenting vs. co-parenting. Parenting covers general child-development, discipline, and communication skills, and comes up in a wide range of family cases. Co-parenting is built specifically for separated or divorcing parents — coordinating two households, handling custody transitions, and keeping kids out of the middle — and is the more common requirement in a custody or divorce order.

Anger management vs. a certified intervention program. Many states, Connecticut included, treat general educational anger-management coursework as legally distinct from a state-certified batterer intervention, family-violence intervention, or abuser-treatment program ordered specifically in a domestic-violence case — see “What if a Connecticut court ordered it?” above for how that distinction works here. If your order names a specific certified program by name, an educational anger-management course usually isn't an automatic substitute — check with your court.

Where can I verify requirements?

The most reliable answer always comes from whoever issued your order — the court clerk, your probation or parole officer, your attorney, or the agency that referred you. Below are free, Connecticut-specific places to start if you need legal help, counseling, or crisis support along the way.

Legal reference material

For anyone who wants to read the underlying statutes for themselves, here is the reference material this guide is based on — Connecticut civil and family-law sections first, then criminal law.

Civil & family law

Criminal law