the Price of a Divorce Lawyer

Basic divorce attorney services with the filing of the Divorce, Serving the papers, and hearing in front of a judge. This was for a fairly simple divorce with no children or real estate involved.

The divorce attorney I went to was a very reasonably priced attorney who did things as simply as possible. No children or real estate was involved, so this wasn't as complicated as most divorces. The attorney requested a $500 retainer, which she pulled her fees out of, and then when that ran out she sent a bill for the rest, most of which was the court cost of having the Divorce filed. The attorney met with me to discuss the divorce, made a list of all the belongings that needed split, drafted the divorce papers, filed them, had them served upon opposing counsel, and drafted the property settlement agreement. We had a hearing in front of a judge, and after that the divorce was final. I didn't trust the cheap, flat-rate attorneys in the yellow pages, so I contacted an attorney at a reputable firm in town. I think it was well worth the extra money to know that my divorce was being handled properly and there would be no surprises in the long run.

Call several law firms in the yellow pages to see what their rates are. Depending on the experience of the attorney, they will range from $125 to $200 or more per hour. More complex divorces with children, custody schedules, and real estate will cost more, as they take more time.