. However, there is certainly a growing concern that what is more important in a divorce process is the intentions and opinions of the individuals concerned, rather than the mundane procedural aspects. Once the two spouses have made up their mind that a divorce is in the best interest of the entire family, there should be no reason that the judicial system should unnecessarily delay or prolong the actual legal procedure. The traditional social institutions are being reinvented and the existing social institutions are also undergoing a dynamic change. There is a growing awareness amongst the government and the judiciary that the general divorce procedure should be simplified and streamlined. It is not the sole prerogative of the law to create the necessary drag effect that should certainly accompany any important decision like a divorce. Alternate institutional arrangements like counseling and mediation are increasingly taking this onus on themselves. A DIY divorce is the outcome of such liberal intentions on the part of the people, state and judiciary. A DIY divorce is a procedure in which the two spouses represent themselves before a court of law to seek a divorce, instead of their solicitors. The main objective behind this growing trend towards DIY divorces is to minimize the wastage of time and money associated with the conventional divorce litigation and to disrobe the divorce process of its traditional, protracted and internecine legal warfare. Technically speaking, as per the English Law, it is not mandatory that a person should hire a solicitor to represent himself/herself before a court of law. However, there are certain genuine concerns which may compel us to rethink about the shortcomings of this novel strategy. With the increased secularization of society, a new thought has emerged, which considers the two spouses involved in a divorce to be more important than the process itself. DIY Divorce and its Advantages If the level of conflict between you and your spouse is mild or moderate and both of you share reasonable levels of communication, so as to sort out the issues, certainly you can opt for a DIY divorce. Care is to be taken that a DIY divorce is not relevant for all dysfunctional marriages. Situations in which the two spouses have been married only for a short period of time, they do not have considerable assets and debts and there are no children from the marriage, DIY divorce can certainly reduce the time and expenditure incurred on the divorce process. What is vital is not that the two spouses tend to agree or disagree. The main deciding factor is the willingness on the part of the two parties, to make their divorce less cumbersome. You can sit together with your spouse to resolve important issues like division of property, child custody, child and spousal support and can prepare a divorce settlement agreement to be filed with the court. There exist many authentic online services then can provide you with the requisite forms and documents and the relevant legal advice. A DIY divorce has many advantages over a conventional divorce. It not only saves the time and money, but provides the two spouses with a sense of control over their destiny. The two spouses are free to resolve their issues on their own, without any interference from a judge, in the privacy of their own homes. They can proceed with the divorce process at their own pace, without any external deadlines or appointments. Limitations of a DIY Divorce If the level of conflict between the two spouses is very high or they have major irreconcilable differences regarding the issues concerning their divorce, a DIY divorce will certainly not be a valid option. In situations involving marital abuse and domestic violence or when either or both the spouses are non-cooperative, a DIY divorce will not be advisable. Secondly, a divorce is a legal process which involves many technical intricacies. An individual with a lack of awareness or knowledge may end up with an undesirable outcome. In such a situation, it will be much better to hire the services of an expert solicitor. The other important factor is that a divorce is often an emotionally charged situation and rarely people have the necessary self control to retain a sense of stoic objectivity. In such a scenario, a solicitor may bring in the requisite legal acumen and logic to sort out the issues, in the best interest of his/her client. Ultimately it is for the two spouses to decide, which option suits them best and is appropriate to their circumstances.