How Much Does A Houston Divorce Lawyer Cost?

MyHoustonDivorce.Lawyer Family Law Series, Article 1: Houston Divorce Lawyer Cost & Fees Associated With Divorce.

Texas Divorce Cost

Many couples that want to file for divorce are often worried about how much it will cost to do that.  The truth is that there is no specific cost of divorce because it all depends on a number of factors.

Uncontested Divorce Pricing

NOTE: Dollar amounts may change due to market conditions and the complexity of your specific family law issue. Below are some factors that can affect the price of your family law representation in Texas:

• Divorce with no children, no property, no house
• Divorce with a house, but no children, no property (cars, bank accounts, furniture, etc.)
• Divorce with property and house to be divided, but no children involved
• Divorce with children involved, but no property to be divided, and a standard possession order (1st, 3rd, 5th weekends)
• Divorce with children involved, but no property, and a custom possession order
• Divorce with children involved, and with property to divide, but no house, and a standard possession order
  • Same as above, but with a custom possession order
• Divorce with children involved, with property and house to divide, and a standard possession order
  • Same as above, but with a custom possession order

Contested Divorce Pricing

The family law attorneys at Longworth Law Firm, P.C. handle contested divorce cases on a retainer basis, and each one is individually priced.

For example, a divorce that takes a long time to be finalized would cost more than one that takes a shorter time.  However, your lawyer may be able to estimate what a divorce will cost you based on the information you give your lawyer. Any estimate may change depending on what your ex decides to do during the divorce process. The only thing you can be sure of is that it will cost you about $300 or more in filing fees to file your divorce petition with the court.

How to Get Divorced in Texas

Parties that want to divorce can either reach an agreement on the divorce terms or go to trial if they cannot agree.  If they decide to go to trial, it is up to the court to settle the issues you and your spouse disagree on. Since divorce attorneys and lawyers and their staff bill hourly, the cost of the divorce will continue increasing the longer it takes the two parties to reach an agreement.

Average Cost of Divorce In Houston

You should know that the average hourly rate for a divorce attorney in Texas will vary based on experience level and certain other factors.

However, instead of going straight to trial because of a disagreement, you can choose other alternatives, such as mediation or collaborative divorce. If you cannot reach an agreement using these alternatives, then going to trial remains the only logical option.

What Determines Divorce Cost?

Certain online resources state that the average cost of a divorce in Texas is about $ 15,600-$23,500. The cost may also be much lower, or higher, than that, depending on the nature of your divorce. The following are some of the factors that determine the total cost of your divorce:

Are there children involved?

Children are a blessing to any couple, but during divorce, they can be the main reason why the divorce takes a long time to finalize.  The reason it takes so long is because of conservatorship and child support issues.

Will you fight in court?

Divorces that go to trial are often very expensive.  What makes them expensive is the time spent in multiple mediations and having to go to Temporary Orders Hearings. Preparing your case for trial will also take several additional hours. Remember, in certain cases, you will be paying your lawyer an hourly rate.

Uncontested Divorce in Houston?

A couple may decide to have an uncontested divorce where none of them is seeking alimony or filing for bankruptcy, and they have no properties or retirement benefits to divide. However, Texas law does not allow for an uncontested divorce when a couple has children under the age of 18.

The bottom line is that couples should cooperate with one another if they want to save money during the divorce process. However, a divorce is such an emotional process that it may be difficult for couples to go through it without clashing. That is why you need an experienced divorce attorney that can inform you of your rights, options, and the cost of divorce.

Family Law FAQ

Common Law Marriage & Divorce in Texas

Read our Common Law article here.

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