Couples seeking divorce could resolve their case quickly with the help of a new grant-funded pilot program in McHenry County court.

Of the 14 cases invited to participate in the 22nd Judicial Circuit’s Early Resolution Program, parties of nine divorce cases received a judgment of dissolution of marriage during the March 22 session, according to a news release from Court Administrator Dan Wallis.

The county was awarded a $15,000 grant in November to create the program, aimed at more efficiently settling divorce cases that meet certain guidelines.

During monthly scheduled “problem-solving” sessions, representatives with Prairie State Legal Aid help couples resolve issues and complete paperwork.

To qualify for the county’s program, both parties must have no children, no complex marital assets or debts, no pending orders of protection and no pending domestic violence cases.

Nearly 30 percent of all divorce cases filed in McHenry County include people who have not hired an attorney to represent them, the release stated.

The average duration of all cases involved in the program’s first session was 53 days, according to the release.

“... Self-represented parties seeking uncontested divorces can successfully complete the judicial process with one trip to the courthouse,” Danielle Hirsch, assistant director of the civil division for the Administrative Office of the Illinois courts said in the release.