A common concern of any individual going through a divorce is how much money they are going to need to expend in order to obtain effective representation and complete the divorce process. With the average divorce attorney charging anywhere between $200 and $500 per hour, the cost can become overwhelming. There is no definitive number for how much a divorce may cost, however, your Florida Divorce Attorney can provide you with some information as to what factors may affect the attorney fees in your case, as well as inform you of the unique billing system approach our firm takes with our cases.
Engage in Alternative Dispute Resolutions. Forms of alternative dispute resolutions can save you a great deal of money in your divorce process and attorney’s fees. When you engage in negotiation, this can occur between the respective attorneys over phone or email, exchanging offers and discussing the issues and claims of their clients. This form of negotiation removes the added costs of a third party negotiator. However, you will still be responsible for the time spent by your attorney responding to emails or the phone conversation between the lawyer. However, this is generally a valuable cost saving option. Another alternative resolution would be mediation. This allows you to employ a third party neutral to act as a go between, address the issues, aid in the resolution, and offer collaborative solutions to the disputed issues. Although likely more expensive than negotiation, mediation is known for its effectiveness when the couples are jointly willing to compromise. Finally, even if you do not come to a full agreement you will minimize the issues under dispute when engaging in these alternative options, which can decrease the length of a trial and ultimately decrease your costs.
Refrain from Entering a Trial. The average cost difference between a case that goes to trial versus a case that settles outside of court is $10,000. You could save an exorbitant amount of money by simply refraining from entering a formal court trial and settling your divorce dispute. The reason a trial results in much higher costs is due to the necessary preparation a trial requires of your attorney. Your attorney will need to engage in extra discovery techniques such as depositions, that you will be financially responsible for, as well as their fee for performing the depositions. You will need to likely call experts to the stand in a trial, prepare their testimony, and pay for their reasonable fees. Finally, your attorney will need to prepare a detailed outline of the trial and his plan of action. He will spend countless hours reviewing your documents, and the documents presented by your spouse. He will note the specific facts and elements he will need to draw out of each witness’s testimony as well as which documents will need to be introduced into evidence and at what particular time. This in-depth preparation for a trial is necessary in order to provide not only adequate but exceptional representation of you and your rights. Therefore, a great deal of time and hours will be spent increasing your overall bill, if a trial is in your future.
If money is a concern in your divorce, discuss with your Florida Divorce Attorney the elements that may affect your overall cost for your divorce proceedings. Further, ask questions regarding our unique billing system and how it may allow you to obtain financial stability and exceptional representation during your divorce.
Speaking to an attorney at our Florida office is free of charge, and we accept calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Contact us at 850-307-5211 or complete an online contact form to get in touch with a member of our team today.