It takes money, lots of money, to get a divorce.
David slayton, director of court administration for Lubbock County said many people choose to represent themselves to avoid attorney fees.
"Whenever a judge is having to deal with a case involving a self represented litigate, it often takes ten times as long to deal with it, and many times it's just because of the paperwork," Slayton said.
Gary Bellair, a member of the Lubbock County Bar Association agrees.
"They do not have the money for a retainer they think they know more than the lawyers or whatever the case may be, they're just a group of people who are content in trying to take care of their business and spend their money the way the want to and not on lawyers," Bellair said.
To avoid malpractice and confusion in the courts, the county has implemented a new system that will guide people through the process.
A website breaks down a series of questions where you fill out your divorce petition, similar to the way an online tax form works.
It takes about thirty minutes to answer each question, when you're finished you simply print and follow the instructions on the last page of your printout.
"We feel like it's a fairly simple process for people who can't afford to hire a lawyer," Slayton said.
The easiest way to get started is by paying a visit to the law library downtown, you won't have to read books or do any research, just take a seat at a computer, and all the information you need is literally at your fingertips.
Bellair chairs the local access to justice committee, a group that has been instrumental in bringing self help programs to Lubbock.
Bellair says the program only works for simple divorces, it won't help you if you have children or lots of assets to sort out.
"It won't work for everybody, but it will work for those who are resourceful and are able to follow directions and who happen to fit the particular mold of the form that we're starting out with," Bellair said.
Slayton said to make self representation even more effective, video tutorials are to come in the near future.
