If you file for divorce in North Carolina, you or your spouse must have lived in the state for at least six months. You will also need to physically separate from your spouse for a year before you can file for divorce. Use of these forms is at your own risk! These are forms of education designed to help you, but you represent yourself. Please read and follow the instructions to present your case. Failure to read and follow instructions may adversely affect your case. If you`re looking for more practical help with your divorce, visit our Do-It-Yourself Divorce service for advice, forms and legal help. The Sheriff`s Department will give or “hand” a copy of the records to your spouse for an additional fee. North Carolina law does not allow you to provide it yourself. Once your spouse has been served, you must wait 30 days before proceeding with your file. Luckily, we`ve done the hard work for you and put together an eBook, our Do-It-Yourself Divorce Guide, that walks you through the absolute North Carolina divorce filing process, including all the forms and detailed instructions for filling out each part. If you have property that you need to argue about, have custody concerns, or want spousal support after divorce, it`s usually a good idea to seek legal advice.

These issues should be resolved before filing for divorce. Once a divorce has been granted, there is really no turning back under North Carolina law. Thus, you can lose rights that you did not know you had. On the day of the hearing, you must bring two copies of an absolute divorce decree and an absolute divorce certificate. Neither of these forms are available from the court, but both are included in the do-it-yourself divorce package compiled by Legal Aid of North Carolina. The judge will have a few questions about your marriage and separation, and then sign the divorce papers to dissolve your marriage. Although the filing is available online, the documents must still be filed in paper form with the Supreme Court office of the county where the divorce is filed. It contains information for an absolute divorce. You`ll find a list of all the necessary paperwork for divorce in North Carolina, information about your county`s local rules, a schedule you can follow for your own divorce, and common mistakes to avoid throughout the process. Legal Aid of North Carolina offers free clinics for people who want to file for divorce without a lawyer.

These clinics are held several times a year in different counties of the state. Registration forms and further information are available on the website. Before you start this process, read this complete package and make sure you fully understand this process. If you have any questions or are not sure if this is the best way to resolve your situation, talk to a lawyer. Read all instructions carefully, as some forms require notarization. Many banks, libraries and accountants offer notarial services for minimal cost. Plan to make copies of all forms once you have completed them. You will need the originals for the court, a set of copies for your spouse and a set of copies for yourself. Getting a divorce without a lawyer in North Carolina is a fairly straightforward process, provided you have the patience to deal with very specific rules about how, when, and where to file. If you`re willing to learn, you can save a lot of money by moving through the system without a lawyer by your side. RALEIGH (WTVD) – North Carolina`s judicial branch is offering its first nationwide self-help program to help people who can`t afford a lawyer or simply don`t want to use one for divorce.

This guide is very useful for people who have accumulated little or no wealth from your marriage, had a relatively short marriage, and have a healthy working relationship with your current spouse, and both have agreed to do their best to end their marriage. If this doesn`t apply to you or you think you need extra help administering your divorce, please visit our do-it-yourself divorce platform with access to unlimited legal advice. They want a divorce. You don`t know what documents are needed for a divorce, what schedules and schedules you need to follow, or how to do it yourself in the first place. What can you do? If you want these rights, you need to talk to a lawyer. This package is not for you! If you divorce before settling these issues, you may lose your rights! Most importantly, this guide helps explain all the facets of divorce and what goes with it. For example, you will not only learn the titles of all the different documents needed for divorce, but also when to use them, instructions on what information to fill out, and how to properly file them with the court or serve them on your spouse, depending on the type of form you use. No one but a lawyer can advise you on your legal rights. No one at the Justice Centre, the clerk`s office or the judge is authorized to give you legal advice or tell you how to fill out these forms. An application for divorce affects your rights to division of property, spousal support and child support. You could lose important rights by filing for divorce. If you want to apply for an asset division, spousal support, or child support, you should consult a private lawyer before filing an application to discuss your legal rights.

You are welcome to visit the clinic for general information, but the clinic does NOT specifically address these issues. The aim of the divorce package is to provide better access to justice through a single national process. The package is a free online service and provides advice for someone who wants to file for a simple divorce without an application for distribution or fair custody. Learn how to find a lawyer to represent you and other legal representation resources. So that`s information on all the paperwork needed for divorce, a roadmap on how to go through the divorce process, and legal advice on how to handle each step of the process. I hope this guide has everything you need to avoid setting foot in a courtroom or having to hire a lawyer. More than 36,000 divorces were filed in the state during the 2018-2019 fiscal year. It is intended to complement the practices and processes that many clerks across the state have established. Raleigh provides support resources in response to October mass shootings created by North Carolina`s Equal Access-Justice Commission This article has been written, edited and edited by a professional author to ensure our readers receive only the best information. To submit your questions or ideas, or simply to learn more, visit our About Us page: link below.

Click the link to open and print the document (35 pages, including forms and instructions). “While retaining an attorney is the preferred way for most people to achieve the goal of dissolving a marriage, we know that some people can`t afford that access,” said McKinley Wooten, acting director of the North Carolina Court Administrative Bureau. The process begins with filling out a cover page for national civil lawsuits, a civil summons, and an absolute divorce action. Not all forms are available at the courthouse. However, Legal Aid of North Carolina makes the process easier by offering a complete set of all the necessary forms to print in a “do-it-yourself divorce package.” Filing for divorce in North Carolina without a lawyer: Use ONLY if: You can find an attorney`s name by checking your local phone book or the North Carolina Attorney Referral Service at 1-800-662-7660. If you can`t afford an attorney, you may be eligible for advice or assistance from Legal Aid of North Carolina at 1-866-219-5262. Once this date has passed, return to the court registry with a hearing form.