L.D. v. G.T. AC 44386
Mar 01, 2022OUTCOME: Held that the trial court abused its discretion in denying the defendant the opportunity to cross-examine the plaintiff during the hearing on the plaintiff’s application for relief from abuse.
The defendant appealed to the Appellate Court from the judgment of the trial court granting the application for relief from abuse filed by the plaintiff and issuing an order of protection against him p ... ursuant to the applicable statute ((Rev. to 2019) § 46b-15). The trial court granted the plaintiff’s ex parte application for relief from abuse on behalf of herself and the parties’ minor child, and issued a domestic violence order of protection against the defendant that required him, inter alia, not to assault, threaten, abuse, harass, follow, interfere with, or stalk the plaintiff. The court thereafter conducted a hearing on whether to extend the ex parte order, at which the plaintiff testified regarding her allegations against the defendant. At that hearing, the court denied the request of the defendant’s counsel to cross-examine the plaintiff. The court rendered judgment granting the continuation of the order, from which the defendant appealed to this court. Held that the trial court abused its discretion in denying the defendant the opportunity to cross-examine the plaintiff during the hearing on the plaintiff’s application for relief from abuse.