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• Divorce

HOW MUCH WILL MY DIVORCE COST?

That depends a great deal on you and your spouse. In today's tough economic times I know that cost is an important issue. You do have a choice. You have several options when deciding to divorce.

1. Do it Yourself. There are form books and online resources that can assist you in preparing the paperwork for a divorce. Oftentimes these forms are prepared by non-lawyers or out-of-state lawyers that may not be familiar with Texas family law. This risk of getting a "good deal" on a divorce may have long term devastating financial consequences. Oftentimes the judge will refuse to sign a decree that is not properly prepared. Be smart. If you have been married less than a year, no children and no assets this might be the route to take. Otherwise, it may cost you more in the long run.
2. Low-Cost Divorce. I do provide clients with a low-cost alternative. If you and your spouse can agree on all issues, I can assist you. For a flat fee of $1500.00 plus the filing fee I will prepare all of the documents, make sure all forms are completed as required and go with you to court to present the minimal evidence required to obtain the judge's signature to finalize the divorce. Be sure to check the page on Low-Cost Divorce if you believe that you and your spouse will be able to agree on all of the issues.
3. Collaborative Divorce. This process is the least emotionally taxing possibility if you and your spouse have more than a small estate or you cannot agree on the issues. Both you and your spouse engage a separate attorney. The four of us work as a team with a mental health professional and sometimes a financial professional to resolve all of the issues. We have a series of meetings with an agenda for each meeting. We work through the issues thoroughly and thoughtfully while looking at the individual needs and interests of each of you and the children. The family is treated as a whole. When there are children, their well-being comes first. It's a team approach to divorce, handled out of court. I highly recommend proceeding through Collaborative Divorce.
4. Mediation. This type case starts out as the traditional litigation divorce. After the parties have identified all of the assets and issues a third-party mediator is hired to assist with reaching a binding, written settlement agreement.
5. Litigation. This is the traditional and most costly method of proceeding with a divorce. Each party will hire their own attorney. There will generally be more than one court appearance. This is generally the process that will be required if there are issues of physical abuse, alcohol or drug abuse or if the parties cannot agree to proceed collaboratively.