Divorce proceedings can certainly be intimidating, especially so for those who can't afford to hire an attorney to represent them.

"The litigants sit and wait for something to happen," Judge Michelle Rick said, "but don't know how to navigate the divorce waters on their own."

Enter a brand new program in Clinton and Gratiot Counties -- Informal divorces without lawyers, just you, your spouse and a judge.

"We tried to devise a process that was more meaningful and more effective for people who file divorce actions, but don't have the resources to hire an attorney," Rick said.

Twenty-ninth circuit court Judge Michelle Rick said the pilot program will only be available to low-income couples with children.

"You can not have real estate or pension programs," Rick said, "no life insurance policies, and no retirement funds because having any or all of those means more complicated filings."
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So far, no objections from the legal community.

"It's a good idea because it's designed for people who don't have contested issues," Attorney Stuart Shafer said.

How many people will this actually help? In 2008, there were 225 divorce cases filed in Clinton and Gratiot Counties. Of those, 65 were cases where people couldn't afford attorney. Judge Rick believes those cases are on the rise.

Shafer is a divorce attorney in the tri-county area. He said a program like this one could help couples, but also help the courts.

"In today's economy, legal aid doesn't have the resources to help the people who don't have the money," he said.

The program begins September first and will have a test-run of three years. Rick said all other courts in Michigan will be keeping a close eye.

You can't apply for this program, you are chosen by the Friend of the Court staff in both counties.

Rick stresses it's only for non-contested cases where both parties already agree on most things and there are no abuse allegations.