How do divorce attorneys normally charge for their work on cases? The main factor that will determine how a divorce attorney in Birmingham, or anywhere else in Alabama, charges for their work is whether the divorce is contested or not. Generally, if the divorce is uncontested, then it will be much quicker and cheaper. If the divorce is contested then it is much more complex and time consuming, for that reason attorneys often charge for contested divorces in a different way, and they are typically more expensive. Many divorce attorneys will offer a flat rate for an uncontested divorce in Madison County, or elsewhere in Alabama. 
This generally means that you will meet with your attorney and discuss your case and then the attorney will present you with a set fee that they will charge to complete the divorce. Whether or not you have children is another factor that attorneys often consider when charging to complete a divorce. Generally, when there are minor children involved, the divorce becomes slightly more complex, and attorneys tend to charge slightly more. This is mainly due to the fact that you will have to work out an agreement between the parties as to the rights and responsibilities of each party to the children. This generally includes issues such as child custody, child visitation and child support.
Contested divorces tend to be much more complex than uncontested divorce. This type of divorce will most likely take much more of the attorney’s time to complete. Generally, a contested divorce will cost you much more because it is simply going to take more time. The more difficult it is for the parties to come to an agreement, the more time consuming and costly that the divorce will be. In cases where the parties want to dispute each small detail of the divorce, the parties can expect to pay much more in attorney’s fees. As with an uncontested online divorce in Morgan County, if there are children from the marriage then the divorce will be much more complex.
Due to the unpredictability of an uncontested divorce, many attorneys will charge a retainer fee and then charge hourly for the amount of time that they work on the case. A retainer fee is a down payment that the attorney charges the client up front to begin working on the case. This is generally an amount that the attorney expects for the divorce to cost. The main reason that many Decatur divorce attorneys charge a retainer fee for contested divorces is that it is much more likely for that case to go to court. The amount that the attorney charges for a retainer varies greatly based on the facts and complexity of the case. The sense of unpredictability is often the main factor that drives up the prices of uncontested divorces.
Attorney Steven A. Harris regularly blogs in the areas of family law, bankruptcy, probate, and real estate closings on this website. Mr. Harris tries to provide informative information to the public in easily digestible formats. Hopefully you enjoyed this article and feel free to supply feedback. We appreciate our readers & love to hear from you!