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MARIA F. MCKEON v. WILLIAM P. LENNON (AC 30067) (AC 30068) (AC 30069) (AC 30070) (AC 30636)
Lavine, Robinson and Lavery, Js. Argued November 18, 2010--officially released September 27, 2011

(Appeal from Superior Court, judicial district of Tolland, Schluger, J.) Campbell D. Barrett, with whom were Jon T. Kukucka, and, on the brief, C. Michael Budlong, for the appellant (plaintiff). Proloy K. Das, with whom were Debra C. Ruel and, on the brief, Dara P. Goings and James M. Ruel, for the appellee (defendant).

Opinion

LAVERY, J. In these consolidated appeals, the plaintiff, Maria F. McKeon, appeals from several judgments of the trial court issued in connection with the judgment dissolving her marriage to the defendant, William P. Lennon. On appeal, the plaintiff claims that the court improperly (1) denied her motion to open the dissolution judgment (AC 30067); (2) denied her motions for modification of child support (AC 30068); (3) awarded attorney's fees to the defendant incurred in defending against her motions for modification (AC 30069); (4) clarified certain orders concerning the parties' beach home and certain accounts during a contempt hearing (AC 30070); and (5) awarded attorney's fees to the defendant incurred in defending against a motion for contempt (AC 30636 and AC 30636, as amended). We dismiss the appeal in AC 30067, reverse the judgments of the trial court in AC 30068 and AC 30069, affirm the judgment of the trial court in AC 30070, dismiss the appeal in AC 30636 and reverse the judgment of the trial court in AC 30636, as amended. The record discloses the following relevant facts and procedural history. The parties were married on August 29, 1981. During the course of their marriage, the parties had three children, none of whom had reached the age of majority by August 3, 2005, when the plaintiff initiated the action to dissolve the parties' marriage. Following a ten day trial, the court rendered judgment dissolving the parties' marriage on December 31, 2007. The court issued a wide range of orders in connection with the dissolution judgment, including, among other things, orders regarding the custody and care of the parties' minor children, the children's medical care and finances, the distribution of the parties' real and personal property, and the payment of child support and alimony as well as the parties' tax liabilities. On January 18, 2008, the plaintiff filed a motion for reconsideration and reargument of several of the foregoing orders, which the court denied on March 27, 2008. Neither party appealed from that ruling. On April 28, 2008, the plaintiff filed a motion to open the dissolution judgment, which the court granted in part and denied in part on June 10, 2008. On June 26, 2008, the plaintiff filed her first appeal, AC 30067, to challenge the validity of the court's judgment concerning her motion to open. On May 8, 2008, the plaintiff filed a motion for modification of the child support orders issued in connection with the dissolution judgment. The defendant filed an objection on May 23, 2008, in which he asserted a claim for attorney's fees incurred in defending against the plaintiff's motion for modification. On May 27, 2008, the plaintiff filed an amended motion for modification. The defendant responded by filing a second objection on May 30, 2008, in which he again asserted a claim

for attorney's fees incurred in defending against the plaintiff's motions for modification. On June 10, 2008, the court issued a memorandum of decision denying the plaintiff's motions and granting the defendant's request for attorney's fees. The plaintiff filed her second appeal, AC 30068, on June 26, 2008, challenging the court's judgment denying her motions for modification. Shortly thereafter, on July 2, 2008, the court issued a memorandum of decision ordering the plaintiff to pay the defendant attorney's fees in the amount of $6497.60. The plaintiff then filed her third appeal, AC 30069, on July 21, 2008, challenging the award of attorney's fees. On June 17, 2008, the defendant filed a motion for contempt, alleging that the plaintiff had failed to convey to him her interest in certain real property, located at 8 Crooked Road in Stonington (beach house), as required under the terms of the dissolution judgment. The next day, the defendant filed an amended motion for contempt, alleging that the plaintiff also had failed to divide certain accounts, established pursuant to the Connecticut Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (CUTMA), General Statutes

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