How can I file for divorce in an inexpensive way?

Advice, please. My husband walked on me and two kids a week ago. Stating it is no longer working for him. Since then, I have found out all kinds of crap he has been pulling. Such as setting up different address bank accounts, and yesterday he drained our joint account, so I am left with no money to pay the bills this month. Obviously, I need to file a divorce and for custody of girls. The problem is I have no spare money at the moment, and lawyers are expensive. Looking for advice on if anyone knows of legal help for low income in this situation. I have gone for a consult with a lawyer, but now they want a 3500 retainer to help. I’m desperate, so any advice or help is greatly appreciated. I am in North Carolina, if that helps. TIA

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If he doesn’t agree to the custody terms it can be years before that is resolved. In VA, I do know they put the divorce and custody of kid cases together and it can drag out the divorce a lot longer. I’m almost certain it is like that in NC too. You need to tell lawyers you want to file divorce and your husband abandoned you and your girls. That will help use the word abandoned. You should get alimony too. Best wishes.

You have to wait a year from the day he left to even file for divorce.

Best wishes.

If he doesn’t agree to the custody terms it can be years before that is resolved. In VA, I do know they put the divorce and custody of kid cases together and it can drag out the divorce a lot longer. I’m almost certain it is like that in NC too. You need to tell lawyers you want to file divorce and your husband abandoned you and your girls. That will help use the word abandoned. You should get alimony too. Best wishes.

You have to wait a year from the day he left to even file for divorce.

Best wishes.

Help a mama out and respond anonymously on our forum. How can I file for divorce in an inexpensive way? - Mamas Uncut

U should be able to find the paperwork online then file it with the court. U can also look for legal aid as well which tend to be lawyers in ur area that do it for whatever u can afford. Maybe call dhs (department of human services) to see what they can help u will or if they have leads

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You should have Legal Aid in your state. What a jerk! So sorry this is happening in your life.

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File a child support order. If he wants the divorce make him him pay for it.

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Try Pisgah Legal Services

Check in your area if they have legal aid, it’s income based, but I am not sure, if they do divorce. Also check and see, if there are some lawyers in your area that offer a quick divorce for cheap.

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I think legal aide only helps if abuse is involved. And l don’t think you can do on line when children are involved. Good luck

Contact Legal Aid I looked it up and it gives locations depending where you live in NC

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Go to York County Courthouse they have a library with all the necessary forms that you fill out make sure you file first do not leave your home

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Get ahold of legal aid asap they help with free lawyers

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To your County Courthouse

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Contact your area for legal aid is the first step. and I’m also pretty sure abandonment is something you can claim in your divorce since he walked out on you and your children. , and all the costs would go to him, not you.

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Family Court is free! Start with child support. If he wants out of the marriage, let him file. He then will have to pay his part plus a large portion of your part of the divorce! Get the child support you need and deserves! I’m sorry this happened :purple_heart:

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I’m in sc and the way we did it with out using lawyers was go to clerk of courts office ask for the simple divorce papers $25 you fill them out yourself but really yall have to agree to everything is the only way to keep lawyers out of it. Ater you fill them out you’ll have to serve him his and file them $120. But you have to be separated a year before you can legally file the papers. Sorry hope it help some I know how you feel been there. Glad it’s over now

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If you guys can agree on everything, a disillusionment is an option. It’s only $400 here, me and my ex just split the price. You have to agree on EVERYTHING tho.

Call around to local attorneys to find one who will handle it pro bono. All attorneys have to handle a certain number of cases pro bono each year.

From personal experience, whatever you do, do not let him physically take your girls anywhere until a custody order is in place. The way it works is whoever has physical custody of the kids until an order is in place has custody. It’s what happened with my ex. He took my kids for dinner at his parents, told me to come get them, called the cops and said I was trespassing. The cops couldn’t give me my kids because he had them in his possession with no order in place. I wasn’t allowed to see my kids for 2 weeks. I eventually got primary physical custody and joint overall custody but it was a very stressful time in my life. Try and see if any lawyers will take payments… mine did.

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We have a family service department in our county court house they will have everything u need including indigentcy paper work which means u need to file this paper work but have no money use those word call ur court house

I don’t know if this is something you can do i don’t know what state your in but my little sister filed her’s using the library and the book they provide. It’s a lot of foot work on your end but that’s how she did hers. I’d call and see if they have the book

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Mine was free, I went to my local courthouse and filled out a financial affidavit, it was based on my income. Good luck :pray:

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It sad bt if mi ave a joint account mi affi ave a next 1 weh she nuh knw bout

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here in Louisiana you can go to your local court house & they’ll give you like a list of free attorneys in your area

Apply for legal aid.

Consult with legal aid and get a court appointed attorney. I’m unsure how it is in your state, but in West Virginia, if you can’t afford to file/serve the papers, you can get a fee waiver if your income qualifies. I’d ask the courthouse you’re filing with if they offer a fee waiver.

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Lock up your other accounts including joint credit cards ASAP!!! Whatever he continues to take or charge on there can’t be split meaning you’re on the hook for charges. Get the lawyer and pay the retainer. Make sure to tell him to petition for fees. He can file an emergency injunction and maybe get some of that money back for you plus get a court order to pay the bills until there’s a settlement. There is no cheap way to deal with a guy like that.

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Look up your state laws. Go to you local court and ask about filing for divorce and/or abandonment.

Even though it’s not always ideal, you always have the right to represent yourself. You don’t need a lawyer.

You can’t it cost me $2,000 to get one and I’ll be damned I’m never getting married again I’d rather be a swamp witch in the woods with black cats lol :laughing:

Tell him your kids need money and him taking all of it was completely rash and he clearly doesn’t care for his family at that point. Talk to him, best you can do. Until you can get money. Or take out a loan.

Start with emergency custody, go to court house and ask for the forms , most of the time they will wave the fee if you can prove low or no income.

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I just finished a similar situation an I’m in NC. Legal aid won’t help. Go to DSS and file for everything including child support (you have to in order to get any kind of assistance). Start looking for a job and see if anyone in your family will help with the lawyer. If you can get someone to help, pay them back. DO NOT GO TO COURT WITHOUT A LAWYER!! File custody first issues first because in NC, whoever files first gets physical custody. Make sure to tell the lawyer that he abandoned y’all cause in NC, what he did is considered a abandonment since he drained the accounts.

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You can get the paper work and fill them out… file, serve the papers to him…

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So you should be able to go to the court house and file for temporary full physical custody of the children which will give you papers to show police if necessary and gives you custody until a court date. Know the next thing he is gonna do is start shutting off , power,gas, , water , phones if any of those are in his name . Hopefully he has not done what my stepfather did mortgaged the house twice. So when he was court ordered to pay the mortgage, he only paid one and the house was going in to foreclosure. Know that what ever he throws at you you will handle. If my mom could do it so can you. Don’t be to proud to ask people to help you. You should not need any money to file for temporary custody. Also ask if they can hear child support at the same time as custody. That can all be done with out filing for divorce.

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I’m in NC my divorce was finalized last month, I went thru www.johnwalkerattorney.com

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First, since you are in NC, file separation papers. You have to be legally separated for a year before you can divorce. If you 2 get back together at any time during that year and separate again, that year starts all over again. Make sure you lay out some kind of custody agreement in those separation papers. You can draw these up yourselves and sign them in front of a notary. It does cost to file them with the court. Not sure how much it is anymore. I don’t know what to say about him taking all of the money other than he’s a POS for leaving the kids in that kind of situation.

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Some lawyers work pro bono, so look up the list of lawyers that do pro bono work (pro bono means for free).

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File yourself. Explain to the judge and they most likely waive the fee. They did with me. You just have to file yourself don’t get an attorney involved. The court clerk can guide you just give them a call.

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Do a file your own divorce kit it’s free

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Well, my GOD sweatheart, unless he married a turnip, you ought to be able to find answers for YOURSELF! Can you use a phone, or a computer? Did he marry someone with arms, and legs? Well then good luck, you idiot, I wish you the best!

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You can file for an emergency hearing and ask for support and for him to pay for your attorney

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Not sure why someone laughed at this post and go figure it was a man!
I did my own divorce for free
I used the law library located in my local courthouse
I also spoke with an advocate at the courthouse
You can have fees deferred

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Make sure you go to family court asap. You don’t need a lawyer to do that. If you file papers in Supreme Court before going to family court you are making a big mistake.

Look into the Modest Means grant; I believe it is a federal program. I used it to secure an attorney for my divorce. Best of luck to you. :green_heart:

Print out papers that are on line. Fill them out. Take to court house and file them. You may have to pay a filing fee. Here in Texas, Young County charges $275. That’s total without an attorney. But I don’t know if that work for you since you have the children to consider.

i have heard that if you ask that you can apply for a divorce an go on a payment plan to help ease the cost its around $600 if you apply for it your self

Call the women’s resource center

Legal aid from a local college law dept. Students?

Library has divorce papers that you can print out and file with a judge $50 and when you file put down alamoy and court causts.

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Women’s resources, ask a counselor for financial aid assistance (they usually have resources for you to check out including pro bono lawyers). I would do some research. It may be worth while to either get a lawyer pro bono or borrow money (a loan, etc.) to get this squared away. This is one issue you want to take care of the right way!

In NC you have to be separated for a year before you can file for divorce. So, custody and child support first.

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I filed Indigent papers with my divorce. I paid nothing…

Legal aid they base it in income

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The courthouse might have an application you can fill out to wave the fees, they did when I filed. Idk if it’s different in other states but id ask. My divorce was free.

Go online with your local courthouse. You can print out the papers to file for both divorce and an emergency hearing. The emergency hearing is to set up temporary rights to the home, custody orders as well as child support.

Keep proof of income he’s withdrawn from your joint account, he is legally NOT allowed to hide assets and money. That is marital property and is subject to equitable distribution at either mutual consent through mediation, or at the discretion of a judge.

File for a legal separation thru the courts first thing Monday morning. Then Contact your local family resource office & apply for cash assistance, foodstamps, & medicaid for you & the children immediately.

When you ask for cash assistance the State should automatically open up a child support case against him costing you nothing.

Once you get on public assistance, they often offer free family type legal services, such as custody & divorce.

I would also inquire about a court ordered eviction notice so he can’t come back & forth as he chooses.

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As much as I’m not helpful, $3500 doesn’t sound like a bad price to me

File for your own divorce. There’s no need for a lawyer.

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How do I get a divorce from a man that’s in another state? No property together, no kids, nothing. We have been married for almost 6 years. I work full time, I don’t have the time to go out of state… I have sent divorce papers I don’t know how many times and he refuses to sign them. But he doesn’t wanna be married to me anymore and doesn’t wanna pay anything towards it. He has blocked me so we have no contact anymore but I do know we are both happy in relationships so it’s kind of odd to me. How do I go about the divorce?? Please and thank you.

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I’ve never been married, but from what I hear, look up legal aid and fill out paper work they’ll send you. Prove and show that you earn what it is you earn . They basically give you a phone interview. A simple divorce should be a few 100. I think with kids the rest can be a court thing . Filing for child support is about 6 dollars . A life time 1 time fee. Atleaat in new Jersey . That’s it.

There is actually a way to get the cost waived you need to call the local court house and see if they offer the reason would just be financial hardship

Document everything too, and file for custody asap .

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I just moved to NC and am still married but hes back in Oklahoma and we have been separated since 2017. I’d definitely get ahold of legal aid, child support, and social services like foodstamps and tanf right off the bat. My situation is a bit different and I believe I need to be a resident here quite a bit longer than I have been to start my process with the divorce itself.

Call your local women’s shelter. They can usually recommend all sort of resources and sometimes even free lawyers in situations like yours

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If you find a local womens center a lot of them usually have help for things like this. I’m so sorry that is unreal, I truly wish you the best in the end.

You could call the legal services. Or the bar association. Both can direct you.

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Brieanna Presley Cordero read these comments and research your state.

You don’t have to go through a lawyer just got to the courthouse and file yourself. There should be wavers you can fill out to wave the fee’s.

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Call legal assistance
I don’t know what state you live in but I think all the states have this agency. He might have walked out on you but in this state where I live you can get him for adulterous and he has to pay child support and this state you can get spouse support especially if he committed adult RH
Good luck hun and things will work out!

Most states have legal aid.

See if he will do a dissolution.

Legal aide nc helped with my divorce (dv related) but couldn’t do custody

Call legal aid in your state. I know in my state they can help

Do you have legal aid where you live. If so they are free. Here in Canada we have. Good luck momma

Help a mama out and respond anonymously on our forum. How can I file for divorce in an inexpensive way? - Mamas Uncut

I did my divorce myself

I did mine myself.
Search and see if there is a divorce book for your state.

North Carolina it costs $35 to file for custody. Some counties make you pay for the packet, I don’t remember how much mine was. Some counties have them online. You technically don’t need a lawyer, they will make you go through mediation first though. As for the divorce, you can file those online.

My husband did his divorce himself. Printed out the forms, went through the process himself, got her signature by having her served with the papers, and did everything on his own.

I used the forms in the book. Total divorce cost was less than $100

Go to court house and file custody and divorce papers yourself or get a lawyer that will make husband pay his fees

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Go to the court house and file it yourself. Or check with you states legal aid. Or find someone to do it pro Bono. With kids involved legal aid is probably the smartest move

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I bought a package from Office Depot and filed myself, I think it was $350 to file with the court

Get proof (bank statements) for the joint account. He is not allowed to just drain it. He will have to pay it back.

See if there are any lawyers in your area that will work your case pro Bono or at lower cost. Yes you can do it yourself and online but with kids in the picture and him already pulling shady acts with draining the accounts you may need to get a lawyer involved. Any friends or family that can help out if low cost lawyers aren’t an option?

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Financial waiver I’ve done 3 myself… not all mine lol but now they on the computer it’s easier the first time I had to research in the law Library n do it all by hand

It free my way and it’s so easy

You will need attorney because of kids, assets , child support

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My ex husband did this on me too. I hired a lawyer and he filed an ex-parte motion to reinstate funds. Get a lawyer immediately. I’m so sorry this is happening to you, but things do get better!!

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Do it yourself you may be entitled to half of what he has already bought.

Apply for the fee waver. It won’t cost you a thing if u have no income.

is there no legal aid or legal resources at a university or community centre near you?

Southernjudicialcircuit.com. all the stuff to do it yourself

When you file you can file for a few waiver to wave everything at the courthouse. You can also file for a lawyer through the court that shouldn’t cost anything

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No advice, but we are also in NC and you can feel free to PM me if you need to talk :heart:

YOU can do it yourself. Don’t waste your money on a lawyer. Lookup family court in county you live in. Print froms online. You’ll gain more if you go in person and get familiar with the process. (If the courthouse is open of course) there are workshops for parenting classes they might maybe doing them online due to covid. If you go to the “library” where you can get forms printed our for free you can find people there (don’t remember what their title is) and they can check the paperwork for you before you turn it in to pay… They can walk you thru the process. AGAIN. This is free. Or atleast it is in Arizona. Good luck!

There should be a Legal Aid in the town or county that you are in that can help you.

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First of all make sure none of ur money goes into the joint account

I got my divorce through The Legal Aid Foundation. Not sure if they still do divorces but worth a shot?