Divorce Fees
How much is this case going to cost? It’s not always the first question clients ask. But it’s right up there – and for good reason. Most divorce lawyers refuse to be upfront about their fees. Or they are too inexperienced to know at the outset what a reasonable fee is in a particular case.
We think that legal fees should be transparent. You have the right to know how much your divorce will cost up front.
Although our legal fees are determined on a case-by-case basis, the information on this page represents our best estimates based on past experience.
Flat Fee Uncontested Divorce
An uncontested divorce is one where the parties agree on all major issues prior to filing for divorce.
Our flat fee for an uncontested divorce is just $2,000 (plus court costs).
Your fee includes the drafting of all necessary paperwork for your divorce, including a customized marital settlement agreement and a written parenting plan (if your case involves children), which you will then have an opportunity to review and approve. Upon your request, our office will make one round of minor revisions to your paperwork free of charge. We will also appear in court on your behalf at the final hearing on your divorce.
Contested Divorce
In a contested divorce, the parties are unable to agree on major issues like alimony, child custody, child support, timesharing (visitation), or the division of property. The initial retainer in a contested divorce case depends on the number of issues that have to be resolved and our estimate of the cost to get your case through mediation where the majority of cases are resolved. The retainer in a contested divorce case is generally around $3,500.
Unbundled Services
Some clients prefer to handle their cases on their own. But maybe they need a little help. For those clients, we offer unbundled legal services – also known as limited scope representation – for a flat fee or a significant discount on our normal hourly rate. For example, we can draft your divorce documents and you can file them yourself. Or, if you have been served with papers like a summons, a petition, or a settlement agreement, we can review them for you.
Unbundled legal services provide an affordable and cost-effective alternative to traditional legal representation for clients who are more cost-conscious and are comfortable handling some or most of the work on their cases on their own.
