At Leigh Daniel Family Law in Huntsville, Alabama, if it’s a simple short-term marriage with no kids and no assets, the cost starts at $1,500.00 plus court costs. Court costs vary depending on the court. This is what I consider a cheap divorce. When I was divorced in 1991, it cost $500.00, so the cost hasn’t gone up too much! If you have assets or children, the starting cost is $2,500.00 plus court costs at my office. However, the cost may vary depending on the type of assets involved.
If there are retirement accounts requiring a QDRO (qualified domestic relations order), we charge $1,500.00 per QDRO. These can be time-intensive and complicated to navigate through the system. If you have a house, we also need to prepare a quitclaim deed, which adds another small fee of $250.00. And if there are significant changes during the process, additional costs may arise.
The Cost of a Contested Divorce
The real questions come when discussing the cost of a contested divorce. Again, it depends. What are the issues? If they are relatively simple—for example, you want a divorce and your spouse doesn’t—then the cost will likely remain lower. However, if your case involves more complex issues such as business interests, adultery, child custody, alimony, assets, or retirement accounts, the cost will rise accordingly.
Factors That Affect the Cost of a Contested Divorce:
- Are you high maintenance? I have some clients who want to meet with me many times to go over things, and others who manage well with basic instructions.
- Are there experts involved? Expert witnesses can significantly increase the cost, sometimes reaching thousands of dollars, depending on the type of expert.
- Who is the attorney on the other side? Some attorneys may drive up costs. For instance, I might send a brief email and bill .15, while the other attorney may respond with a lengthy three-page letter, increasing the overall cost.
- How many times are you set for trial? Courts are often backed up, and we must prepare each time. One client spent thousands just on travel time because of multiple docket calls in Limestone County, though it wasn’t their fault. Eventually, I stopped charging them for travel due to the excessive delays.
- Do you email and call frequently? See point one. While frequent communication may be necessary for complex cases, it often isn’t, and this adds to the cost.
- Are you compliant when we request documents? If we have to ask repeatedly or involve the other side or the court, it drives up costs.
- Are there multiple hearings for your case? Each additional hearing increases the cost.
- Is the opposing side non-compliant? If the other side is difficult, the process will take longer, increasing costs.
- Do you change your mind frequently? Some clients incur significant fees by repeatedly changing terms in their settlement or because the other side changes their mind.
- Do you have a lot of issues? Significant assets, in particular, can require extensive time and resources to divide properly, which can substantially increase the cost.
Get in Touch With an Experienced Alabama Divorce Attorney
As you can see, the cost of a contested divorce is not an easy question to answer. In some cases, you are in charge of your own destiny. I have had similar cases that cost clients vastly different amounts due to the amount of interaction the clients wanted with us. Ultimately, the cost is based on the time involved.
I hope this helps give you a better idea of what a divorce might cost. Get in touch with our firm if you have any questions. We offer a free consultation with one of our associate attorneys to help you understand your options.
