Call our Alabama Uncontested Divorce Attorneys today at (205) 201-1789
The Harris Firm LLC’s uncontested divorce flat fee has covered the same defined scope of work since 2007, at the same price in all four offices and all 67 Alabama counties. Phone consultations for uncontested divorce are free; in-person consultations are $100.
In short: The flat fee covers the free consultation, all drafting, both spouses’ signing coordination, electronic filing with your county’s Circuit Clerk, management of the 30-day waiting period, and a certified copy of the Final Decree. For cases with minor children, it also covers the parenting plan and the Rule 32 child support calculation, which is why that tier is $890 rather than $690.
What it does not cover: The county filing fee, which is the court’s money, not ours. A quit claim deed if real estate changes hands ($750 flat). A QDRO if a retirement plan is divided (quoted separately). A parenting class where the county requires one (paid to the provider). Nothing else.
The Alabama framework: Alabama Code § 30-2-8.1 sets the 30-day waiting period the fee carries you through. Rule 32 of the Alabama Rules of Judicial Administration governs the child support calculation the $890 tier includes. The $200 difference between tiers is the additional forms and schedule work a case with children requires.
The biggest mistake: Assuming the flat fee covers a case that stops being uncontested. It does not, and it cannot, because a contested case has no defined scope. If one spouse refuses to sign, we tell you immediately, before anything changes about how the case is billed.
The Cost Section and Where to Go Next
What $690 and $890 Buy, Line by Line
A flat fee is only useful if you know what it contains. This is the scope of every uncontested divorce we handle, and it does not change from client to client.
| Included in the flat fee | $690 tier (no minor children) | $890 tier (with minor children) |
|---|---|---|
| Free phone consultation with an attorney | Included | Included |
| Review of your agreed terms for legal problems before drafting | Included | Included |
| Complaint for Divorce | Included | Included |
| Marital Settlement Agreement (all property, debt, and alimony terms) | Included | Included |
| Answer and Waiver of Service for the other spouse | Included | Included |
| Sworn Testimony of Plaintiff (written, no hearing) | Included | Included |
| Parenting plan: custody, visitation schedule, holidays, exchanges | Not applicable | Included |
| Rule 32 child support calculation and CS-41, CS-42, CS-43 forms | Not applicable | Included |
| Coordinating signatures for both spouses, in person or by mail | Included | Included |
| Electronic filing with your county’s Circuit Clerk | Included | Included |
| Follow-up with the clerk and judge through the 30-day waiting period | Included | Included |
| Certified copy of the Final Decree | Included | Included |
| Unlimited phone and email questions during the case | Included | Included |
The two tiers are the same case with one difference: minor children of the marriage. Alabama requires a parenting plan and a guideline child support calculation in every divorce with children, and those documents are real work. That is the $200.
What the Flat Fee Does Not Include
The list is short, and every item on it is separate because the court or a third party treats it as separate. We never fold these into the fee quietly, and we never spring them on you after you retain us; the free consultation identifies which ones, if any, apply to you.
The county filing fee. Paid to the Circuit Clerk when the complaint is filed, roughly $200 to $340 depending on the county. We advance it and you reimburse it before submission. The court costs page has the county figures.
A quit claim deed: $750 flat. Only if one spouse is transferring real estate to the other. It is a separate recorded instrument with its own drafting, notarization, and recording.
A QDRO: quoted separately. Only if a 401(k), pension, or similar plan is being divided. It is a separate court order the plan administrator must approve, and the price depends on the plan.
A parenting class, where your county requires one, is paid to the class provider. It is not a firm fee at all.
The St. Clair County Courthouse in Pell City. The clerk here charges about $205 to file. That fee, not ours, is the one item every case pays on top of the flat fee.
The One Thing That Changes the Price: The Case Turning Contested
The flat fee is a promise about a defined scope of work, and that scope is an uncontested divorce. It holds no matter how many questions you ask, how many drafts the agreement goes through, or how slowly your county’s judge signs. What it cannot survive is the case ceasing to be uncontested.
That happens in exactly one way: the two of you no longer agree, so one spouse will not sign, or revokes before the judge signs. At that point there is no fixed scope left, because nobody knows how long the other side will fight. Contested divorce is billed hourly against a retainer starting at $4,000, and we tell you that the day the case turns, not after.
One thing softens that line: most “contested” moments are a single open item, not a war. What you must agree on exists to close that item before the file changes character, and closing it usually takes one honest conversation.
Things Clients Ask That Are Already Covered
“Can I call with questions?”
As many as you need. The flat fee includes attorney access by phone and email for the life of the case. There is no meter.
“What if the clerk rejects something?”
We fix it and refile. Clerk rejections happen to everyone occasionally; handling them is part of the job, not an extra.
“What if the judge asks for a change?”
Occasionally a judge wants a term reworded. Revising and resubmitting the agreement is included.
“What if we amend our agreement before filing?”
Changing terms before filing is included. Redrafting because you both changed your minds on the house is not a new case.
“Does it cover the name change?”
Restoring a former name is a line in the decree and costs nothing extra. It is far easier to include now than to petition for later.
“Do I get a copy of the decree?”
One certified copy is included. Extra certified copies, for the Social Security office or a lender, are a few dollars each at the clerk’s office.
What the Fee Pays For, in the Order It Happens
The scope of the flat fee, mapped onto the actual timeline of your case.
Consultation and Screening
A free phone call with an attorney who confirms you qualify, flags legal problems in your terms, and quotes the total including your county’s filing fee.
Drafting
Complaint, Marital Settlement Agreement, Answer and Waiver, sworn testimony, and, with children, the parenting plan and Rule 32 forms. Revisions before filing are included.
Signing
We coordinate both spouses’ signatures, in any office or by mail with a notary anywhere. Questions during signing are included.
Filing
Electronic filing with the Circuit Clerk. We advance the filing fee; you reimburse it before submission. Clerk rejections are fixed at no charge.
The Waiting Period
Thirty days minimum under Alabama law. We track the file, respond to any judge’s request, and handle resubmissions.
The Decree
The judge signs. A certified copy comes to you in the flat fee. The case is closed with no final invoice.
Flat Fee Scope FAQs
1.What does the $690 uncontested divorce fee include?
The free consultation, review of your agreed terms, drafting of the Complaint, Marital Settlement Agreement, Answer and Waiver, and sworn testimony, coordination of both spouses’ signatures, electronic filing with your county’s Circuit Clerk, follow-up through the 30-day waiting period, and a certified copy of the Final Decree. The county filing fee is separate.
2.Why is the fee $890 with minor children instead of $690?
A divorce with minor children requires a parenting plan covering custody and a visitation schedule, plus a child support calculation under Rule 32 with the CS-41, CS-42, and CS-43 forms. The $200 difference covers that additional drafting and calculation work.
3.Is the filing fee included in the flat fee?
No. The filing fee is paid to the county Circuit Clerk and runs roughly $200 to $340 depending on the county. We advance it when we file and you reimburse us before the case is submitted to the court.
4.What costs extra beyond the flat fee?
Only three things, and only if your case needs them: a quit claim deed to transfer real estate ($750 flat), a QDRO to divide a retirement plan (quoted separately), and a parenting class in the counties that require one (paid to the provider). Everything else about an uncontested divorce is inside the flat fee.
5.Do I pay extra if we need to revise the agreement?
No. Revisions before filing, clerk-requested corrections, and judge-requested rewording are all included. The flat fee covers the case through the decree, not a fixed number of drafts.
6.What happens to the flat fee if the divorce becomes contested?
The flat fee applies only to an uncontested case. If a spouse refuses to sign or revokes the agreement before the decree, the case becomes contested and is billed hourly against a retainer starting at $4,000. We tell you the day that happens, before any hourly work begins.
Four Offices, Every Alabama County
A Fee You Can Understand Before You Pay It
The free phone consultation tells you which tier applies, whether any add-on touches your case, and the exact total with your county’s filing fee. No estimates, no surprises.
The Flat Fee Covers
✓ Free consultation and unlimited questions during the case
✓ All drafting, including the parenting plan and Rule 32 forms with children
✓ Electronic filing, clerk follow-up, and the 30-day waiting period
✓ Certified copy of the Final Decree
$690 plus filing fee without minor children · $890 plus filing fee with minor children
Call the Office Nearest You
Birmingham: (205) 201-1789
Chelsea: (205) 677-5490
Huntsville: (256) 665-9473
Montgomery: (334) 782-9938
Want the full price picture first? See the cost and flat fees hub.
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