Preparing my backyard for grass?

put down black plastic and keep the ground covered until you are ready to rototill it

clean up the mess, plot your yard considering expenses -include space for trees, flower & vegetable gardens, and other areas like patios or paths. will you want a shed or play area or dog run? never use a toxic chemical. get a hoe, a shovel, and a good pair of gloves. in most areas of the northern hemisphere, we are heading into winter. this might be a good time to get the trees in, so talk to your local nursery -they often have discounts for this time of year.

when you've got the yard planned, start on the drip system and sprinklers -consider hiring a pro if you're not experienced. have them show you how to troubleshoot any problems. if you get snow, take a break till spring. otherwise, your can begin to get the beds & grass areas ready. you will need top soil, compost, and a rototiller. generally, you will need at least 6-12 inches of coverage -talk to the pros about this, too. after this is done, consider sod vs seed and plants vs seedlings.

mulching is the best way to prevent weeds. yanking them out when they're small is the easiest way to garden.

Hire a rotary hoe to till the ground. This will do three things; it will loosen up any roots; it will loosen the soil; it will aerate the soil. Rake it over level and leave it for a while to make sure no weeds spring up. when you are ready to seed, rake it again, and roll it. Then follow the directions for your seed

Not without poisoning the ground;

How are you planning on loosening the soil to make germination/rooting easier on your seed/turf?

Hard: rake the heck out of the ground

Easy: tiller set shallow

Either way, it'll uproot weeds, making them easy to rake off before putting seeding / covering with straw or putting down your turf.