The Tennessee Supreme Court has approved an easier, more straight-forward divorce system for couples without minor children or pension plans, The Commercial Appeal reports.

Starting September 1, eligible adults can file for uncontested divorces without lawyers thanks to new forms that avoid using confusing legal terms and include easy-to-read instructions and information about what will happen in court. This paperwork can also be downloaded online for more convenience.

The forms will not replace attorneys, but they will serve as a helpful resource when starting the divorce process. The goal of the new system is to make access to the legal system easier, especially for people from low socio-economic communities.

“The legal system should be accessible to all Tennesseans, regardless of income level,” Chief Jusice Cornelia A. Clark explained to the publication.

According to the Tennessee Department of Health, there were 56,441 marriages in 2009 and 25,879 divorces. Henderson County recorded the highest rate of divorce that year, recording 792 divorces at a rate of 29 per 1,000 population. The county with the next highest divorce rate was Tipton. The region’s 641 divorces in 2009 were at a rate of 10.6 per 1,000 population.

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