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One of the simplest ways of getting a divorce without entering into extensive litigation is to opt for an uncontested divorce in Gardendale. Our Gardendale divorce lawyers can help you whether it is an uncontested or contested divorce. An uncontested divorce is available to couples who have no conflicts about their marital issues, such as visitation rights, assets and other things in kind. You and your spouse must be in total agreement on all issues to opt for an uncontested divorce in Gardendale or Fultondale. 

Our Gardendale divorce lawyers are currently charging a low flat fee for an uncontested divorce throughout Jefferson County, Alabama. Alternatively, should you and your spouse not be in agreement on all issues, we can also help guide you via filing a contested divorce. It is important to note that with a contested divorce, there are still issues to resolve and a longer process ahead, which means there will be higher attorney fees incurred. Whichever filing is right for you, if you both reside in Gardendale or Fultondale, your divorce will likely be filed within Jefferson County, Alabama.

• $290 for an uncontested divorce with no minor children. 
• $390 for an uncontested divorce with minor children.

While filing fees varies from county to county, in Jefferson County it is normally around $200, which includes a small convenience fee. Give our Gardendale divorce attorney a call today for more information about the filing fee in your county.

For cheap divorces in Gardendale, all marital issues such as custody, child support, and division of property should be worked out between you two already. If you think you are ready to begin, we’ll start you off with a questionnaire to be filled out online on the divorce questionnaire page. In-office meetings are normally not necessary and there should be no hearings required since the  parties would have agreed to everything. This process gives us the ability to offer such discounted fees no matter where you live in Alabama. 

Divorce Lawyers in Gardendale

Enlisting the help and expertise from an experienced divorce attorney in Gardendale who is familiar with the local requirements in Jefferson County is your best bet to smoothly and properly submit your divorce filing. Most counties have their own, unique local requirements that might have very specific language they require to be included in the filing documents.  The Gardendale divorce lawyers at The Harris Firm routinely file uncontested divorces in Jefferson County and are well versed on the local requirements. 

When you and your spouse are able to come to an agreement on all marital issues such as division of property, custody and child support, and you both sign the documents prior to the divorce being filed, you are eligible for the easiest form of divorce – uncontested divorce in Gardendale.

Since a settlement agreement is filed with the divorce, the judge only needs to approve the agreement and issue your divorce decree. There are normally no hearings or court dates involved in this and makes the entire divorce process much more straightforward than a contested divorce. It normally takes about a month or two for the divorce decree to be issued following this stage.

Should the uncontested route not be an option due to open issues you and your spouse have yet to resolve, you will need to file via contested divorce. This type of divorce is your option when there is no prior agreement reached and you both need the intervention of a judge to decide on certain marital issues. In this case, one spouse would serve the other with a formal Complaint. Following this, the spouse who was served enlists an attorney and Once they are officially served, they usually obtain an attorney and file a response. There are hearings set and the judge will ultimately decide your disagreements if the two of you cannot come to an agreement.

Whether it’s an uncontested or contested divorce you need, our team can help. However, it is important to note that the attorney fees associated with a contested divorce are significantly higher than an uncontested due to the conflict resolution and litigation involved, the hearings and the court fees. As do most divorce lawyers, our Gardendale divorce attorneys require a retainer for such services and the attorney will bill hourly in a manner dependent upon work performed. In conclusion, the more complex your divorce is and the longer it takes, the more expensive it will get. 

Retainers for contested divorces can range from $1500 to $5000 or more, but this all depends on how convoluted the issues are and how much they are contested by the opposite party. It is important to know that when minor children are of the marriage, retainers will be higher than in divorces without children involved. However, this is not the only factor that determines the prices.

To get a quote for the amount you will pay as a retainer that allows us to begin work on your case, call our Gardendale divorce lawyer today. You can expect a quick phone consultation with our divorce attorney before we can quote you a fee, especially if there are minor children or other potentially complex issues involved. This is the reason an Gardendale uncontested divorce is almost always cheaper and easier.

Uncontested Divorce in Gardendale

If you’re looking to get an easy and cheap divorce in Gardendale,  both parties must be in agreement on all marital issues before proceeding. Our Gardendale divorce attorneys charge around $290.00 for uncontested divorces that do not involve minor children and $390.00 for cases with minor children. There is an additional filing fee when a case is filed. In Jefferson County the filing fee is about $292, which includes a small convenience fee for filing electronically.

To begin the uncontested divorce process in Gardendale, you would usually fill out the questionnaire online or by mail. After you have paid the attorney fees and we receive the questionnaire, then we will prepare the documents and send them to you.  Once we get the documents back properly signed and notarized with the filing fee then we file the case. It usually takes about thirty days or more to receive the official divorce decree. In almost all counties now, the Court usually enters the decrees electronically. 

If you live in Gardendale, Birmingham, Calera, Helena, Chelsea, Columbiana, Hoover, Leeds, Montevallo, Pelham, Vestavia Hills, Wilsonville, or Harpersville then your divorce may be filed in the Circuit Court of Shelby County or Jefferson County. If you are in Gardendale or the surrounding areas of Jefferson County and want a quick and easy divorce, then give our local divorce lawyer a call today for more information.

Contested Divorce in Gardendale

If it’s not an uncontested divorce where the spouses have reached a mutual agreement, it is called a contested divorce. In a contested divorce, there is no previous agreement reached and one spouse serves the other with a Complaint. Once they are officially served, the spouse hires an attorney who will help them file a response. The hearings are set and a judge gets involved to ultimately decide on your disagreements.

Should you be in need of filing for divorce, our legal team can help. Please be aware that attorney fees are significantly higher than in an uncontested divorce. As is common practice with divorce lawyers, a retainer is required for these services and our attorney will bill hourly which means how much it comes out to depends on the amount of time needed to perform the work. 

Contested divorces retainers usually range from $1500 to $5000 or more, depending on how complex the issues involved are and how contested they will probably get. An example of something that would make the process take longer and cost more is if there are minor children from the marriage.

Feel free to contact us so we can evaluate your situation and give you an estimate of what the retainer would be in order for our experienced contested divorce lawyer in Gardendale to begin work on your case. This consists of a brief phone consultation with our attorney so we can quote you a fee and take note of important details like any assets shared between you two or minor children or other potentially complex issues involved. Because of all these other factors, uncontested divorce is almost always the ideal, cheaper and easier route.