At The Harris Law Firm, the LawYourWay℠ program is available to help and answer questions from “pro se” litigants. “Pro Se” means advocating for oneself in a legal capacity (representing yourself without an attorney). Recently, we have been asked whether someone filing their own divorce can do so during this “stay-at-home”/”safer-at-home” period. The answer depends on where you live.
The state of Colorado is divided into 22 Judicial Districts. Each Judicial District has responded to the pandemic in their own way. All Districts are open for anyone needing orders of protection to ensure their safety.
If you need a protection order, you can go to your local county court and complete your request and the court’s judicial officer will hear your matter. This is also the case for any other “emergency” situation, i.e. Motions to Restrict Parenting Time, etc. Yet, for other “non-emergency” cases, each Judicial District is handling these matters in their own way. To find out what the courts in your area are doing, follow these easy steps:
Eight counties in the state of Colorado allow pro se parties to file their paperwork online without having to go in person or mailing their paperwork to the courthouse. Counties allowing pro se litigants to file on-line include Arapahoe, Douglas, El Paso, Grand, Larimer, Moffat, Routt, and Teller. If you want to learn more about this go to: https://www.courts.state.co.us/Administration/Unit.cfm?Unit=efilenoaty
Even if you are unable to file your documents, this is the perfect time to get prepared by doing your paperwork to be ready to file when things change. If you need assistance and / or have any questions about completing your paperwork, some instructions and forms can be found at www.courts.state.co.us, or better yet, give The Harris Law Firm a call at (303) 622-5502.
Our LawYourWay clinic provides legal guidance on how to do a divorce on your own. Specifically, we can explain the divorce process, help you complete the required forms, answer your questions and provide other guidance through what often can be an intimidating and confusing process, especially during these challenging times.
