How do you use Connecticut's JD-FM-164A addendum for additional children?

What JD-FM-164A is for

JD-FM-164A is the addendum the Connecticut Judicial Branch uses when JD-FM-164 does not have enough room to list every child covered by the case. The official JD-FM-164A PDF says it is used to list additional children to the main affidavit, and the same jurisdiction statute, C.G.S. § 46b-115s, still sits behind the disclosure. In plain terms, the addendum exists so the court receives one complete child-history record. If the case involves more children than fit on the main affidavit, JD-FM-164A keeps the filing from becoming incomplete on day one.

What to copy from the main affidavit before filling it out

Start with the docket number and the same case identity used on JD-FM-164 so the addendum can be matched to the correct file without guesswork. Then gather the full legal names, birth dates, and five-year residence history for each additional child you need to list. Because the addendum is attached to the main affidavit rather than filed alone, it helps to keep both forms open side by side while you draft. That reduces the chance of mismatched dates, inconsistent spellings, or a child appearing on one form but not the other. Treat JD-FM-164A as part of the same factual statement, not as a separate mini-case.

How to use the same-history shortcut correctly

The JD-FM-164A form includes a box for when a child's residence information is the same as the previous child's. That shortcut is useful only when the timeline, locations, adults, and relationships all match exactly. If one child spent a semester with grandparents, lived at school, or moved at a different date, the shortcut is no longer accurate and you should complete the residence lines in full. The benefit of JD-FM-164A is that it gives you space to be precise. Using the shortcut too aggressively can turn a clean addendum into a document that contradicts school, medical, or court records later.

What usually goes wrong on this addendum

The most common error is treating JD-FM-164A like a place to jot partial notes because the main affidavit already exists. Another problem is forgetting that the addendum still asks for the adults' present addresses and relationship to the child, not just old residences. People also create trouble by filing the addendum without the main affidavit or by using it when the family history is not actually identical from child to child. Linda Douglas, Chief Legal Officer at Untangle, recommends checking the addendum against the main affidavit line by line before filing: if the court reads them together, they should feel like one continuous and deliberate record.

How to file it with the rest of the packet

JD-FM-164A works best when it travels with the main affidavit and the rest of the child-related opening paperwork. Keep the pages together, confirm the docket number appears where it should, and review each additional child's residence history for any gaps before the packet is filed. Unlike JD-FM-164, the addendum does not create a separate signature step on its own, but the information still becomes part of the sworn child-history submission. That is why accuracy matters just as much here as on the main form. If the addendum is sloppy, the entire affidavit package can look unreliable even if the first page was completed correctly.

Frequently Asked Questions

JD-FM-164A is straightforward once you understand that it is just an overflow section for the main affidavit, but it still causes problems when people use it casually. These answers focus on when the addendum is required, how the sibling shortcut works, whether it can be filed alone, and whether the same verification standards still matter. The constant theme is that this addendum is part of the same sworn story the court uses to analyze child-related jurisdiction.

When do I actually need JD-FM-164A?

You need it when the main JD-FM-164 does not have enough room to list every child involved in the case. The JD-FM-164A form says it is used to list additional children. If more children exist than fit on the main affidavit, the addendum completes the required child-history record and keeps the filing packet whole. Using it early avoids a fragmented filing.

Can I use JD-FM-164A without filing JD-FM-164 too?

No. JD-FM-164A is an addendum, not a standalone affidavit. The form itself says it is used with JD-FM-164, so the court expects the main affidavit in the same filing. If you submit only the addendum, the packet is missing the core sworn affidavit that gives the child-history record its case context and caption. Courts need both pages together to understand the family record clearly and promptly.

What if only one extra child has a different residence history?

Then use the shortcut only for the children whose history is actually identical and complete the full lines for the child who differs. JD-FM-164A is built for that kind of mixed situation. The problem is not that one child has a different timeline. The problem is pretending the timelines match when they do not. A precise addendum is better than a shorter one, especially when the court may compare the affidavit against other records later in the case.

Does JD-FM-164A still need the same level of accuracy as the main affidavit?

Yes. Even though JD-FM-164A does not create a separate signature block, it becomes part of the same sworn child-history submission. The facts still support the court's jurisdiction analysis under C.G.S. § 46b-115s. Wrong dates or copied-over shortcut errors can damage the whole affidavit package, so review the addendum with the same care as the main form before filing. Even small addendum errors can ripple through later hearings.