A bright side in Norfolk divorces

No one wants a long slog through an unpleasant task. Better to get it over with and move on.

That's why Norfolk's Circuit Court handles more divorces than any other court in Hampton Roads and ranks second in the state for its divorce caseload. Lots of divorces mean lots of ended marriages, so the number carries sadness. But the city's higher caseload does not mean its residents more frequently untie the knot.

As The Pilot's Louis Hansen reported, lawyers and divorcing couples from around the region file their cases in Norfolk because they find the city's court system more flexible and easier to navigate than other jurisdictions.

A courthouse should serve its public, and Circuit Court Clerk George Schaefer has worked to improve technology and customer service even as budget cuts demanded layoffs. The numbers show the efforts have worked. Norfolk's clerk's office remained open 40 hours a week when other cities curtailed public service hours. Schaefer and his staff led the state in introducing "paperless" court files, making documents available through the court's computer system and using email to send court orders to attorneys. Schaefer said a "technology trust fund fee" levied on divorces and other civil filings provides cash to keep technology current.

It's not a lot of money, but the uptick in divorce filings in Norfolk could lead to more money for the city's courts in another way: If the caseload continues to grow, so will the court's need for more judges and clerks.

Other benefits accrue from a system that handles divorce cases efficiently. It saves divorcing couples money on legal fees. It saves court staff time they can use on other work. It saves emotional distress caused by adding frustration to an already painful process.

Perhaps it's looking for a silver lining in a broken wedding band, but a quick, efficient divorce has to be better than a slow, horrible one.