Tara Hurlburt v. Jill Vasbinder (2010)

MEMORANDUM OF DECISION

This is a dissolution of a civil union action brought by the plaintiff, Tara A. Hurlburt, against the defendant, Jill M. Vasbinder.   A trial on the issues was held on March 3, 2010, at which both parties were represented by counsel and both parties testified.

This court has considered all of the relevant statutory criteria, including the length of the marriage, fault, the age, station, occupation of the parties, assets, amount and sources of income, skills, employability, debt, non-monetary contributions, acquisition and preservation of the estate, needs of each of the parties and the opportunity of each for future acquisition of capital assets and income and all other criteria set forth in the Connecticut General Statute statutes and applicable case law.

The court enters the following findings and orders:

The parties were joined in a civil union on November 6, 2006, in Southington, CT. One or both has resided in Connecticut for twelve months continuously prior to the inception of this action.   There are no minor children born of the union and no state or local aid was received during the union.   The court further finds that the union is broken irretrievably without hope of reconciliation and it is ordered dissolved.

The plaintiff has severe health problems and large medical bills and is now receiving disability.   It is unclear to the court how long the current disability payments will last.   Both parties have entered into bankruptcy.

The court finds that the plaintiff, at the least, had an emotional affair with another woman during the union and bears the blame for the breakup of the union.

The court orders the plaintiff to pay the defendant $1 a year in alimony for a period of four years, which is modifiable as to amount, if and when the plaintiff's financial situation improves, and is not modifiable as to term.   This obligation will terminate upon the death of either party, or the marriage of the defendant, or if the defendant cohabits as defined under Connecticut law.

The plaintiff will liquidate her 401k accounts and pay the proceeds to the defendant within forty-five days of this decision.

SO ORDERED.

BY THE COURT,

J. Fischer, J.

Fischer, Jack W., J.