When you’re trying to figure out how much does a divorce lawyer cost? The total cost of a divorce will depend mostly on your personal circumstances and some key decisions you make. It’s virtually impossible to accurately predict how much you will pay without first knowing the facts. If you have children, you will be responsible for paying half of their cost. If you are seeking to reduce your overall costs, here are some things you can do.
If you and your spouse have been married for a few years and there have been no children involved, you might opt to represent yourself in your divorce proceedings. Sometimes this is not an option because of existing financial or legal issues. In this case, there are a few less expensive routes you can take. One of them is to use an online divorce mediation program. This is a simple way of getting a divorce without having to actually see an attorney.
The cost will generally be lower if you choose an online divorce mediation program to represent yourself. You will still need to hire an attorney if you decide to use a traditional court proceeding. Some less costly routes include hiring a domestic relations law practitioner to represent you, using a prepaid court filing service or enrolling in an online program that allows you to complete the paperwork yourself. Some of the less costly options allow you to have the same paperwork completed within just a few days, which cuts down on the amount of time you will spend involved in filing.
There are also some ways to cut the cost associated with a divorce without having to use an attorney. You can mediate between yourself and your spouse via a webinar. This is similar to using a legal advisor but is less expensive. You may also choose to represent yourself by entering into a “virtual divorce” through an online program. This is the same as sitting in a conference room with your spouse, but you don’t have to worry about any legal issues.
A “contested issues” divorce is one that ends up in court. It is less expensive if this route is chosen over a traditional court proceeding. If you and your spouse can agree on child custody (if applicable), alimony and other key areas of the divorce, you can get a “contested issues” divorce without an attorney by simply filling out the required forms, making the appropriate payments, and sending them to the court. Unless you represent yourself in court, you will still need to hire a divorce attorney in Maui to prepare your case and make sure everything is filed correctly. However, you will be able to save money if you are able to settle these types of contested issues out of court.
Another option for a DIY divorce is to file the proper paperwork yourself. You must obtain the necessary forms from the office that handles your divorce, and then fill them out on your own. There is no advantage to hiring an attorney because the state law requires that each spouse file their own paperwork, unless the issue involves a minor children. Even then, you may want to consider hiring an attorney, especially if there are issues that have not been properly documented or filed. Again, you will need to pay a filing fee, so this option may not be inexpensive.
The final option, and probably the simplest, is to use a completely online divorce resource. These services are provided by many different lawyers and spouses. For a low monthly fee, you can gain access to many resources that will help you keep track of all of the relevant information. This includes filing fees, trial preparation and motions, and so forth. Many people find it easier to use an online resource because they can do it from their home, and there are many resources available to them at any time of the day or night.
If you are in a collaborative divorce, or one where both parties want to work things out without the help of an attorney, you may want to consider using a mediation service instead of hiring an attorney. Mediation is an alternative to the traditional courtroom experience. It usually begins with a consultation between the parties and their attorneys. At this meeting, the spouses are encouraged to share their concerns and desires, and to develop compromises that can be agreed upon. Both sides then go to a court-room, where the judge will make his or her decision regarding the case and any recommended settlements.
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