The cost to have an attorney represent you in an uncontested divorce varies widely from state to state and even sometimes from county to county. Some attorneys charge a flat rate while others charge by the hour. On average though, you will pay between $1,500 and $5,000 to have an attorney file for divorce on your behalf, although in some areas, the cost may be significantly more, even when spouses have agreed on everything. DivorceWriter charges $137 for state-specific divorce papers and step-by-step filing procedures. You pay your own filing fee when you file for divorce. With DivorceWriter, there are no hidden fees or charges, and you can make unlimited revisions at no additional cost for two years.
While most lawyers appreciate their clients' desire to have their divorces over as quickly and inexpensively as possible, there are plenty who deliberately prolong divorces to make more money. After all, law is a business and firms expect their attorneys to generate billable hours. For lawyers in private practice, who also have to worry about paying rent and keeping the lights on in their offices, the need to generate more fees is just as important.
When you represent yourself, you control the cost of your divorce.
Finalize Your Divorce Quicker
Attorneys know they are less likely to get paid if they complete the service for the client before collecting their entire fee. For this reason, when you file for divorce with an attorney, you are usually expected to pay the fees upfront. If you don't have the money to pay your attorney fees, you will have to wait to get your divorce finalized until you do.
Even if you are able to pay your attorney fees in full at the outset, you are on your attorney's schedule. One attorney can be juggling hundreds of clients that require varying degrees of attention, and cases that generate more money tend to be prioritized over simple uncontested divorces. In other words, while it may literally take only 20 minutes for your attorney's paralegal to prepare your divorce papers, your file may sit on your attorney's desk for weeks waiting to be reviewed.
Minimize Fighting with Your Spouse
Attorneys who pad fees not only harm their divorce clients financially, but the frustration both spouses may feel over delaying the divorce because the lawyer insists on unnecessary measures such as a lengthy investigation into the parties' assets and their fitness as parents can turn an otherwise simple and amicable uncontested divorce into a fight that neither spouse wanted or needed. This can be especially damaging if you and your spouse are trying to co-parent.
It also merits pointing out that some clients insist that their lawyers make the divorce difficult as payback to their spouse. However, that mindset is inconsistent with do-it-yourself divorce. If you choose to file your own divorce, your goal should be to complete the process as quickly and inexpensively as possible. When both spouses have these goals, the divorce process itself can be relatively quick and painless.
DIY Divorce Works Best for Uncontested Divorce
Having an uncontested divorce means that your spouse agrees not only to end the marriage, but also that the two of you have reached an agreement on all issues including division of property and debts, spousal support, and the support and custody of any minor children. If any of those issues remain unresolved, you should probably contact an attorney to represent you in your divorce.
Dividing Certain Types of Property
The Appearance of Unfairness or Inequity
DivorceWriter.com™ is the leading self-help divorce document web site. However, this site does not provide legal advice and use of this site is not a substitute for hiring an attorney licensed to practice in your state.