The cost is entirely dependent upon which process is used by the divorcing spouses to have their disputes resolved. The least expensive process is typically mediation, followed by attorney-negotiated settlements and Collaborative Process. Typically, the costliest form of dispute resolution is court litigation. Family law and divorce attorneys bill an hourly rate based upon the amount to time they devote to your case, and so by utilizing the processes of mediation or Collaborative Divorce for example, the attorneys typically assist the clients in resolving their disputes with less work hours devoted to the process. The reason litigation can be so costly is because the amount of time and effort spent by the attorneys is often increased significantly from the workload seen with other alternative processes. Most frequently, each spouse pays the fees for his or her own attorney; however, in certain circumstances in which one spouse has access to a disproportionate share of family income and/or assets, that spouse may be required to contribute toward the attorney’s fees of the financially dependent spouse.
There is no set average cost of obtaining a divorce because it is entirely dependent upon how much conflict is involved, which effects how much time the attorneys must devote to the case.