Divorce – What It Will Cost And How Long It Will Take

When it comes to getting a divorce, each client asks different questions which are unique to their situation but the most common question I get is, “what will it cost and how long will it take?”  The answer is that it depends on your situation but we can help to provide you with some understanding to make an informed decision.

WHAT IT WILL COST…

Our hourly rate on all family law cases is $225 per hour and we always require an advanced fee deposit of $1500 in every case to get going.  If your case is simple with little to no dispute over child custody or division of property, it is possible that it could be done within that advanced fee deposit, although this is rare.  For clients that have child custody disputes and property that needs to be separated among the spouses, we typically tell them to expect to spend more around $3000, but this could increase with the complexity of the case.

If there are clients that have already divided their property, have minimal assets or debts, and no children we will sometimes quote a $1500 flat fee, which will cover representation through the end of the case.

HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE…

This is another difficult question to answer and depends on your particular situation.  If you are a flat fee client with minimal property that has already been divided, no children, and no disputes, you could be divorced in as little as 40-60 days after filing the Petition with the court.  However, if you have a child custody and/or property division dispute, you are probably looking at a much lengthier process.

While there are many factors outside of your control that can impact cost and timeline, you can do your best to control these factors by positively working towards your desired resolution with your divorce lawyer.