By Jill L. Coil for CoilLaw
The number one question I get asked in initial consultations is “How much will my divorce [case] cost?” I always chuckle at this question because this is the million-dollar question. Attorneys have been trying in a variety of ways to figure this out so that they might be able to capture the market of clients who would be willing to pay a set amount if the attorney could honestly tell them how much their case will cost.
- The unfortunate part is that, really, even the best attorneys cannot predict with certainty how much your case will cost, and here’s why.
Determining Factors in Divorce Costs
As a family law attorney, I have done $5,000 divorces and I have done $100,000 divorces. The differences between the two cases were not much. In both types of cases, both parties wanted a divorce and the couple had property to divide and needed help in settling their assets. Children and custody issues may or may not be involved. You might wonder, “Well, if both these cases are similar, why is the cost so much different?” The answer to this question: it all depends on your spouse. Cases that have amicable and reasonable ex-spouses always will be settled quicker and cheaper than ones that have unreasonable and vicious ex-spouses. Further, your ex-spouse’s attorney can be a major factor if your case is going to cost you a lot more money. As an attorney in the community, I can usually tell my clients, by knowing who the opposing counsel is, if the case is going to be settled amicably or if there is going to be intense litigation (which will cost you more money).
- Fighting in your divorce will always cost you more money. The cheapest divorces are the ones that either both parties are super amicable and can come to a simple resolution, or you decide to not fight and give your ex-spouse everything he or she desires. By simply not fighting, you will save money.
- Further, if there are allegations of domestic abuse this will cost you more money. If your ex-spouse files protective order against you, this will cost you money to defend. If there are allegations of abuse to the children, a Guardian ad Litem may need to be appointed, which will cost you more money. If you are fighting over custody and you need to get some experts involved, this will cost you more money. The list goes on and on about what could happen to increase the cost of litigation and it is usually unpredictable.
Get the Right Family Law Attorney
The good news is if you find the right attorney who is fighting to protect you and not to increase your costs, you will find that it is worth it. This is because your attorney will ensure to protect you through the harsh rigors of litigation and to help alleviate the stress that litigation brings. In the end, you will realize that the cost of not giving in to your ex-spouse’s wishes and demands (especially when unreasonable) will be worth it. Also, only about 2% of all cases actually go to trial (which is very expensive). Thus, those $100,000 cases are in the minority.
You need to ensure you consult with a competent family law attorney that understands the issues and your needs during a divorce. At CoilLaw, LLC, divorce attorney Jill Coil knows how to advise you during a divorce to help you achieve the best settlement and/or result possible At CoilLaw we are ready and available to help you through your legal action. If you need legal advice concerning a Utah family law issue, call Jill Coil at CoilLaw LLC in Utah at (801) 939-6027 today.
