In some cases, spouses who make an uncontested filing a goal can avail themselves of a pro se filing. Pro se means "for oneself." It’s ideal for uncontested actions, where no one wants to prove fault and in short-term marriages with no children, easily distributed assets and both spouses working together.

In a pro se filing, one spouse usually completes all the necessary divorce paperwork, and the other spouse agrees to the divorce. The paperwork can be obtained from a variety of sources, including state websites and online divorce companies.

In some jurisdictions, states offer what are called summary or simplified divorce actions that lend themselves to easy pro se filing.

A summary or simplified divorce filed pro se is the least expensive route divorcing couples can take to end a marriage. By definition a summary or simplified divorce is uncontested; formal service of process can be abbreviated; there is no discovery; and the court moves the action through as an administrative procedure. In most jurisdictions, a pro se divorce can be accomplished for a few hundred dollars.