In a down economy, more people going without lawyers

In a down economy, more people going without lawyers

But with no means to pay the fees to access this expertise, Spencer, like thousands of other people seeking court action in family law disputes nowadays, is going it alone.

This burden comes with its own costs: the time and hassle of completing the filing process, the lunch breaks spent at the courthouse to do research at the law library, the additional wait for a court hearing compared with those who have attorneys.

“For all this baloney, you're talking a few thousand dollars,” Spencer, 37, said during a recent interview in regards to the incremental costs that have steadily accrued.