Why Does Divorce Cost So Much?
When a couple decides to dissolve their marriage one of the first concerns is the cost of divorce. The reality is that divorce is expensive! And the costs are not just related to your wallet. The cost of divorce can also be measured in emotions, time, relationships, etc.
Managing the cost of divorce depends on a number of factors, including:
- Children (custody, visitation, child support)
- Marital property (marital residence, other real property, retirement accounts, businesses)
- Debts (mortgages, credit cards, credit accounts)
- Domestic violence
Unlike other areas of the law, a single divorce lawsuit presents parties and their attorneys with numerous, and sometimes unrelated, issues which must be addressed.
While divorce law is a narrow area of the law, Divorce Lawyers are required to be knowledgeable in many subjects, much like a general practitioner. But instead of handling lots of different individual cases for many people like a general practitioner, a single divorce case can present various issues to be resolved in one case. For example, a divorce that has issues of: custody, visitation, child support, alimony, division of retirement account, division of a marital residence, and division of personal property, presents a minimum of seven different issues. It is similar to handling seven separate lawsuits.
Complexity Can Be Expensive
Family law attorneys are acutely aware of the complexity and expense of a divorce. Some lawyers will encourage a client to fight over every issue. Most lawyers, however, guide their clients to narrow the issues to focus on the importance of each issue in dispute, and the expense of handling each such separate issue like a separate lawsuit. Depending upon the client’s wishes and the lawyer’s strategy, the number of issues in a divorce and how they are handled will directly impact the cost.
The wildcard in all of this is, even if one party desires to narrow the issues to be handled to keep the costs down, if the other party does not share this same point of view there may be no other option than to “play ball” and fight back. This could put all issues before the court, and if there are seven issues in dispute, as in our example above, there are essentially seven lawsuits to be handled within the single divorce action.
That’s why divorce is expensive.
Georgia Family Law Attorney
If you are thinking about divorce and you are concerned about the cost, please give us a call. We will help you focus on what’s important and strategize on the best way to approach your situation. We can help you find solutions that work in your case.
Call us today at (404) 378-1665 to schedule a consultation.
This information has been prepared by Phyllis R. Williams, P.C. for informational purposes only and does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. The information is not provided in the course of an attorney-client relationship and is not intended to substitute for legal advice from an attorney licensed in your jurisdiction.
Ms. Williams is an experience trial lawyer with 17 years of experience in trying cases before judges and juries throughout the Atlanta metropolitan area. She has litigated cases from auto accidents, to premises liability, to products liability.In 2010, Ms. Williams was appointed as a magistrate judge which gives her a unique insight and perspective as an attorney and advocate.
When Ms. Williams is not representing her clients, she enjoys working with teenagers and young adults through the Georgia High School Mock Trial program, playing racquetball, traveling to different countries, and pretending to be a gourmet chef!
Clients, and their loved ones, can be assured that Ms. Williams has knowledge, experience and insight to get the best possible outcome in their cases.The firm uses the most up-to-date technology to handle the cases efficiently and cost-effectively.More importantly, the firm is dedicated to representing personal injury clients and gives each and every client the personal attention that their case requires.
- Why Does Divorce Cost So Much? - August 17, 2015
- NFL Appears to Be Taking Domestic Violence Seriously - November 16, 2014