Typical Costs of a Divorce in Orange County

An Orange County divorce attorney can provide you with help in understanding the costs that are associated with the divorce process. With help from your attorney, you can explore ways to try to lower the costs of divorce so you can end your marriage without ruining your finances. 

Brown & Charbonneau, LLP understands that covering the costs of divorce can be a challenge and we will work hard to help ensure that you are able to find ways to save money wherever possible. We can also provide you with assistance in asking the judge to have your ex pay for your legal fees and costs if you are worried about money.

Give us a call at 866-237-8129 today to speak with an experienced attorney who can provide you with help understanding the costs of divorce in California.

What are the Typical Costs of Divorce in California?

There are a variety of different costs in California that have to be paid. These costs can include things such as:

• Court fees: The basic cost for a petition for dissolution of marriage, including a joint petition, is $435 according to the California Court’s fee schedule. A response to a petition for divorce is also $435.00. When additional motions and pleadings are filed with the court, there is often a cost for these things as well. The more complicated your divorce and the more intervention you require from the courts, the higher these court fees can go. Fee waivers are available under certain circumstances.
• Legal fees: You will need to pay for the costs associated with getting legal help. The more complicated your divorce process and the longer it takes for you to resolve your issues, the more costly it will be to address the legal issues that your divorce raises.
• Fees for experts: There are certain circumstances in which you must hire experts who can provide you with assistance in your divorce. For example, if you believe that assets are being hidden by your ex, you may need to hire a forensic accountant in order to follow the money trail and find the hidden funds that your ex spouse has failed to disclose. If you need to hire any type of experts to uncover evidence in the divorce or to testify on your behalf in the divorce, you can expect that the cost of the fees for the experts will add significant expenses to your divorce costs.

Because every divorce is different, it is difficult to predict exactly what the typical costs of a divorce will be, above and beyond the basic court filing fees. By thinking about these different factors, however, you can get a better idea of how to calculate the costs of your divorce and of how to try to keep the costs as low as possible.

How can an Orange County Divorce Attorney Help?

An Orange County divorce attorney can provide invaluable assistance in trying to keep costs down. Your attorney can provide you with information on how to work with a mediator or otherwise try to negotiate a divorce settlement so you can end your marriage with the minimum of court intervention. This can help you to avoid court fees, extra legal costs for court prep, and costs for expert witnesses as well. A significant amount of money can be saved if you are able to get divorced without having to litigate the relevant issues involved in ending your marriage.

Your attorney can also provide you with assistance in petitioning to have your fees and costs covered by your ex in situations where you have limited resources and your spouse has more money available.

Hiring an attorney is a smart financial move both because of the ways in which your lawyer helps you to keep costs down and because your attorney will help you to make sure your divorce settlement can provide you with financial stability after your divorce. Your focus should not be only on the costs associated with the divorce process, but also on making certain that you can receive your share of marital property and the appropriate spousal support you need to move forward.

Getting Help from An Orange County Divorce Attorney

Brown & Charbonneau, LLP provides assistance to clients in Orange County and surrounding areas in understanding the costs of divorce and in ensuring that you take smart steps to keep those costs to a minimum while still protecting your long-term financial future. Give us a call at 866-237-8129 or contact us online to find out more about the ways in which we can provide assistance with your divorce process.