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PETER F. CORRIVEAU v. ANDREA H. CORRIVEAU (AC 30938)
Gruendel, Alvord and Sullivan, Js. Argued October 15, 2010--officially released January 25, 2011

(Appeal from Superior Court, judicial district of New Haven at Meriden, J. Fischer, J.) John Serrano, for the appellant (defendant). Stephen D. Jacobs, for the appellee (plaintiff).

Opinion

SULLIVAN, J. The defendant, Andrea H. Corriveau, appeals from the judgment of the trial court dissolving her marriage to the defendant, Peter F. Corriveau. On appeal, she claims that the court improperly (1) failed to canvass her sua sponte concerning her competency to proceed with self-representation, (2) prematurely terminated her right to cross-examine and to present evidence, and (3) failed to provide guidance on the presentation of evidence at trial. We affirm the judgment of the trial court. The record contains the following facts. The parties were married on June 2, 1979. The plaintiff filed the complaint for dissolution on June 23, 2006, and the defendant filed a cross complaint on July 5, 2006. The matter proceeded to a two day trial on December 4 and 5, 2008, and, on March 9, 2009, the court found that the marriage had broken down irretrievably and rendered judgment of dissolution. The court ordered the parties' assets divided and the plaintiff to pay the defendant $275 per week in alimony, as well as to provide her with health insurance. This appeal followed. Additional facts will be set forth as necessary. I The defendant first claims that the court violated her constitutional right of access to the court by failing to inquire sua sponte into her competency in representing herself. Specifically, the defendant argues that the evidence that she suffered from multiple sclerosis, as well as the court's observations during trial that some of the defendant's statements were confusing, triggered an obligation of the court to canvass her, similar to the canvass required in a criminal case involving a selfrepresented party, regarding her competency and the voluntariness of her waiver of counsel. The defendant requests review of her unpreserved claim under State v. Golding, 213 Conn. 233, 239

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