1. (a) Any purchase made by either a husband or wife in his or her own name shall be presumed, in the absence of notice to the contrary, to be made by him or her as an individual and he or she shall be liable for the purchase.

2. (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, it shall be the joint duty of each spouse to support his or her family, and both shall be liable for:

   1. (1) The reasonable and necessary services of a physician or dentist; (2) hospital expenses rendered the husband or wife or minor child while residing in the family of his or her parents; (3) the rental of any dwelling unit actually occupied by the husband and wife as a residence and reasonably necessary to them for that purpose; and (4) any article purchased by either which has in fact gone to the support of the family, or for the joint benefit of both.
3. (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, a spouse who abandons his or her spouse without cause shall be liable for the reasonable support of such other spouse while abandoned.
4. (d) No action may be maintained against either spouse under the provisions of this section, either during or after any period of separation from the other spouse, for any liability incurred by the other spouse during the separation, if, during the separation the spouse who is liable for support of the other spouse has provided the other spouse with reasonable support.
5. (e) Abandonment without cause by a spouse shall be a defense to any liability pursuant to the provisions of subdivisions (1) to (4), inclusive, of subsection (b) of this section for expenses incurred by and for the benefit of such spouse. Nothing in this subsection shall affect the duty of a parent to support his or her minor child.

(1949 Rev., S. 7308; 1957, P.A. 191; P.A. 77-288, S. 1; P.A. 78-230, S. 17, 54; P.A. 88-364, S. 58, 123; P.A. 92-140; P.A. 01-195, S. 35, 181.)

History: P.A. 77-288 rephrased section, referring to spouse where previously either husband or wife was specified, added exception re liability for expenses of last illness of deceased spouse and deleted provision which required that husband's property be first applied to support family and entitled wife to indemnity from husband's property for any of her property which was taken or money she was compelled to pay for satisfaction of claims; P.A. 78-230 divided section into Subsecs., rearranging and restating provisions, and deleted provision re liability for expenses of last illness; Sec. 46-10 transferred to Sec. 46b-37 in 1979; P.A. 88-364 changed the first word of Subsec. (a) from “all” to “any”; P.A. 92-140 deleted former Subdivs. (5) and (6) of Subsec. (b), inserted new Subsec. (c) re liability of spouse who abandons spouse without cause, relettering former Subsec. (c) as (d), and added Subsec. (e) re abandonment by spouse as defense to expenses; P.A. 01-195 made a technical change in Subsec. (b) for purposes of gender neutrality, effective July 11, 2001.