Family Law

Connecticut's family law is a complex area of legal practice that carries significant emotional, financial, and logistical challenges for individuals and families. At Hodgson Law Firm, we provide compassionate yet honest guidance to help you navigate these challenges effectively. Our comprehensive family law services include, but are not limited to: divorce, legal separations, child custody/support/visitation, spousal support/alimony, post-judgment modifications, enforcement, paternity, grandparents' rights, adoptions, prenuptial agreements, and much more. Additionally, we understand that some clients may also need business law assistance or housing law representation, and we are equipped to address those needs as well. At Hodgson Law Firm, you will receive legal counsel throughout the process to ensure your case is completed efficiently, turning difficult times into a thing of the past.

Hodgson Law Firm understands that personalized legal solutions, including business law assistance, can prevent issues and disputes that distract from productivity and negatively affect a company’s bottom line, branding, and trust among its customers and community. Our services cater to start-ups, existing businesses, entrepreneurs, franchisees, employees, and employers. Our Business Law Services include: 

Business Formation and Entity Selection: LLC, Corporation, Partnership, or Sole Proprietorship, as well as Not-for-Profit organizations. We assist with Operating Agreements, By-Laws (new or amendments), Partnership Agreements, Conflict of Interest Policies, Whistleblower Policies, Retention Policies, and more. 

Contract Review, Drafting, and Negotiation: Agreements are the backbone of business operations. We will draft and review various contracts to mitigate liability exposure while securing contract awards. Some of the agreements we handle include independent contractor agreements, employment agreements, service agreements, commercial leases, franchise agreements and associated franchise disclosure documents, among others. 

Contract Management and Coaching: Our management and coaching service is tailored for small businesses in growth stages that may not yet have the resources to hire in-house counsel. We provide a monthly service that collaborates directly with your operational and/or sales staff to guide and advise on negotiable terms. This service includes the development of a contract clause library and a continuous playbook to minimize liability, enhance revenue, and maintain manageable legal costs. 

Additionally, we offer family law services and housing law representation to ensure all aspects of your legal needs are met. Our approach is to align your legal needs with your business objectives.

Landlord Services: 

We understand that nothing is worse than having a tenant who is not paying you the agreed upon rent and continues to live in the apartment for free. In some cases, the tenant may even be destructive to your investment and by damaging the property and may even still live in investment. Fortunately, a landlord can use the eviction process to protect the investment.

Some of the more common reasons for evictions in Connecticut are: Non-payment of rent, Lapse of time, Nuisance, Breach of lease, or never, or no longer, having the right or privilege to occupy the premises. 

In Connecticut a landlord must first serve a notice to quit on the tenant to quit possession of the rental premises. If the tenant does not vacate in the time required by law after service of the notice to quit, it is necessary to file a complaint and summons with the Housing Court. Once the paperwork has been filed with the Housing Court, the landlord may be able to either obtain a default judgment or obtain a Court date.

Contact us should you need an attorney to regain control of your investment. 

Tenant Services: 

We will defend Connecticut tenants protect the rights against lease violations, unlawful evictions and other cause of actions. We protect tenants’ rights so they can continue to live comfortable in their dwelling. 

Tenants should be aware that Property owners in Connecticut must have a valid and lawful reason for evicting tenants, and they must follow certain procedures to do so. 

If you disagree with the complaint made by the landlord and believe your rights have been violated, we can help. The following list includes some but is not limited to services that can be provided: 

Security Deposit: Connecticut tenants must be aware that they may be guaranteed the return of all or part of the security deposit depending on certain conditions. If these conditions are met, and the landlord refuses to return to the deposit, we can help make sure our clients get it back.

Substandard Conditions: If a landlord fails to provide a habitable apartment, the tenant may have legal recourse.

Sanitary Code Violations: If a landlord violates the Massachusetts Sanitary Code, the tenant may take legal action to force the landlord to make reparation.

Retaliation for Reporting or Complaining: Landlords are not permitted to retaliate against tenants reporting or complaining about their issues.

Limited Scope Representation (LSR)

Sometimes a tenant is not able to afford to hire legal representation in housing court, or they only need help with some aspects of their situation. This is where Limited Scope Representation (LSR) comes in. LSR is a special legal arrangement where an attorney provides legal help only for specific tasks or portions of a legal case. Hodgson Law Firm is qualified to conduct LSR in housing court.

If you are a tenant in Connecticut and are experiencing issues with your landlord, contact us as you have rights and our firm can help protect your interest.

What’s limited scope representation? It’s a great way to create a partnership with a lawyer in an affordable way. Limited Scope Representation refers to cases in which a client hires an attorney to assist with specific elements of a case, such as legal advice, document preparation, document review, or a limited appearance in court. The client and attorney agree on the specific tasks to be performed by the attorney on the client’s behalf. This approach can be particularly beneficial for those seeking business law assistance, family law services, or housing law representation. The following list includes some limited representation services Hodgson Law Firm provides: Legal advice about a case or a legal problem, legal coaching on the introduction of evidence, witness examination, and/or courtroom procedure, document and/or pleadings drafting such as demand letters, simple wills, basic contracts, and more, and appearing before the court, in a deposition or settlement negotiation on a limited basis. At Hodgson Law Firm, your case objectives are paramount, and with limited representation, you can gain a strategy that provides you with reasonably cost legal services.