How Much Does It Cost to Get A Divorce?

Divorce attorneys can discuss with you the circumstances of your case and give you an estimate about how much a divorce will cost. This estimate may not be accurate since there are many variables and each case is different. Attorneys generally charge by the hour for the time they spend on various aspects of your divorce. A divorce cost includes things like court costs that are set in stone and other costs which you have no control. How you and your spouse approach your divorce affects how much it will ultimately cost.

Overview of Possible Costs

Some costs vary. Others are standard. Whether your case will involve these costs depends on whether you and your spouse can agree to a settlement or the case goes to trial. Here is an overview of costs to consider. Whether they apply to your case will depend on your unique situation.

• Court filing fees. These are established by the court and vary depending on the document that is filed.
• Process server. This cost is incurred whenever a document needs to be served on your spouse or your spouse’s attorney.
• Costs of a mediator to help with a settlement.
• Cost of an expert if an expert is needed. Experts charge for all the time they spend on a case from investigation, preparing a report, sitting for a deposition, and time spent testifying at trial.
• Deposition costs for all necessary witnesses. In addition to expert witnesses that may be needed for disputes over property division and child custody, there may be depositions of personal witnesses concerning child custody and other contested issues.
• Attorney fees for time spent in depositions.
• Costs for obtaining transcripts of depositions.
• Costs if bank records or other documents need to be subpoenaed.

Settlement Versus Going to Trial

If you and your spouse can come to an agreement on child custody and property division, you will save a lot of money than if the divorce process is contentious and we cannot reach a settlement. It is more cost-efficient to pay mediators and other professionals who can help in settlement negotiations than it is to go to trial.

If you and your spouse are unable to agree to a settlement, trial is the next step. Costs increase when witnesses must be deposed, and experts retained. Attorney fees increase as the attorney must be compensated for the time spent in depositions, in preparation for trial, and for each day required to be in the courtroom for the trial.

Attorney Daniel Abasolo at Springer & Lyle can answer questions about specific costs and fees relevant to your own divorce case and help you through the divorce process. Contact him at 940-387-0404 to schedule a consultation.