Filing A Petition For Divorce Without An Attorney

In the best of situations, you will have an attorney who can stand up for your legal rights during divorce. If you are not in a position to hire an attorney, the only person you will be able to depend on is yourself. You have the legal option of defending your case Pro Se, without the guidance of an attorney. Not hiring an attorney will save you money but there is a price you will pay. You will have to spend the time needed to educate yourself about your states Rules of Civil Procedure and make sure you file the proper paperwork and respond in the proper way.

Rules of Civil Procedure are the rules that courts follow when conducting a hearing. Basically, Rules of Civil Procedure provide guidelines as to what information can be received by the judge and how the information should be presented to the judge. To find your states Rules of Civil Procedure, simply do a google search with your state’s name the term “Rules of Civil Procedure.”

Your first step, once you have decided to file for divorce is to file an Appearance with your court clerk. This will put your name on record as a Pro Se litigant. Once that is done you will file an Original Petition for Divorce. Your court clerk will be able to provide you with the forms and instructions for filling them out and filing them.

It’s imperative that you know your state’s divorce laws, study your state’s Civil Procedures and communicate with your court clerk about what forms need to be filed and when.