What is a divorce retainer and why are they so high up front? A divorce retainer is a fee that attorneys charge for their work on a divorce. A retainer in a way is a form of a down payment for the services the divorce lawyer in Birmingham will provide during the divorce. A lawyer estimates the amount of work that they will have to put into the divorce. The amount of work that is needed for a divorce depends largely on the type of divorce. 
There are two types of divorces in Alabama, contested and uncontested divorces. Uncontested divorces in Alabama are generally much cheaper and quicker than a traditional contested divorce. This is largely due to the fact that there is no need for a trial in an uncontested divorce. In an uncontested divorce, generally both spouses have worked together to reach some sort of agreement which helps the divorce process to move along much quicker. In fact, many uncontested divorces can be done online, meaning that there is no need to meet an Alabaster divorce attorney in person in an office.
Uncontested divorces are made up of mostly paperwork, which is why an uncontested divorce can be such a quick and easy process. Most uncontested divorces can be completed within six to ten weeks. In contrast, contested divorces can take anywhere from a few months to a couple years to be complete. This is largely due to the many costly and time consuming stages that the parties must go through in a contested divorce including the court involvement in the divorce.
The average cost of a retainer fee varies from case to case but they are generally fairly expensive up front. You will need to sign the retainer agreement, which will describe the amount of money that you will pay along with any other expenses that the firm may charge you. There are often certain circumstances where a retainer fee may be refundable. Generally if there is any money left over after the divorce from the retainer fee, you will get the remaining balance back. This is the main reason why retainer fees are so expensive up front. Divorce lawyers in Bessemer will generally over charge retainers to ensure that you do not have to pay any more out of pocket during the divorce.
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!