NM debuts online document site

New service should streamline some divorce, abuse court filings

A new online service launched by the New Mexico judiciary lets self-represented litigants in divorce and domestic abuse cases prepare certain documents from home.

“Being able to fill out the forms at home should alleviate some of the stress that an extra trip to the courthouse adds to situations that are inherently emotional, such as filing for divorce,” said state District Court Judge Nan Nash in a news release.

The new Guide and File service, available at www.nmguideandfile.com, works like tax preparation software, taking users through a series of questions and then generating a court form, which must be filed in person at the courthouse.

In an interview, Nash said the program asks questions that are easy to understand, protecting people from getting tripped up on legal jargon.

Forms available on the site include petitions for protective orders in domestic abuse cases, divorce petitions, responses, finalizations and applications for free case processing. It also offers a self-help guide and lists of information and paperwork necessary to prepare the documents.

Nash said the new program is a “better way of doing business,” and may mean fewer people seeking help from court employees.

“As important as saving the court time ... is actually helping the folks who are representing themselves come up with a form that actually addresses what they need from it,” Nash said.

Barry Massey, spokesman for the Administrative Office of the Courts, said self-represented litigants are involved in a growing number of civil cases. In fiscal year 2018, around 80 percent of divorce cases involved at least one person who was self represented.