Divorce

In most situations, an uncontested divorce will be much cheaper than a contested divorce but you will likely still have to pay court costs (like filing fees and serving the papers on your spouse). Check with the clerk of court in your county to find out current fees. If you cannot afford to pay the costs, you can try filing a Petition for Order Waiving Fees and Financial Affidavit.¹ A Petition for Order Waiving Fees and Financial Affidavit is an application that you can file to ask the judge not to make you pay the court costs. A judge may or may not agree to waive the court costs. You may be able to get this petition from the clerk of court or from our ND Download Court Forms page.

If you hire a lawyer, you have to pay the attorney’s fees. If you cannot afford a lawyer, take a look at our ND Finding a Lawyer page. We have listings of legal resources for free or low-cost legal services throughout the state that can sometimes provide assistance.

If you decide to represent yourself, it may be a good idea to have a lawyer at least look at your paperwork to make sure it is accurate and fair. We especially recommend that you get a lawyer if your spouse has one. You can find forms and additional information from the North Dakota Supreme Court Legal Self-Help Center website.

¹ N.D.C.C. § 27-01-07