Do I need a lawyer to get divorced? What if I can't afford a lawyer?
You can, if you wish, conduct the divorce proceedings yourself. However, you must ensure that the documents that you file in ("submit to") court are in the correct format, and are "stamped" (i.e. court fees must be paid for each document filed in court). All documents filed in court must be through the Electronic Filing System. There are procedural rules as to which documents must be filed at different stages of the proceedings, and there are also legal arguments that you may have to make if the matter is a complex one, or is contested. The court will not be able to give you any legal or procedural advice. So if you are conducting the divorce proceedings yourself, you cannot expect to obtain any assistance or advice from the court. If, at any stage, you are unsure of what to do or say, then you may wish to obtain the assistance of a lawyer.
If you cannot afford a lawyer, you may wish to apply to the Legal Aid Bureau for assistance. However, you will have to satisfy the legal aid "Means Test" and "Merits Test" to qualify for legal aid. For more details, you may wish to view the website of the Legal Aid Bureau @
http://app.minlaw.gov.sg/lab/default.asp
.