I get calls every single day about the cost of a divorce, because it seems that everyone wants to get the best cost, the cheapest cost, the cheapest budget lawyer out. Hi, my name is Attorney Anthony Spratley, I am the owner and founder of Genus Law Group here in Albuquerque New Mexico where we practice divorce law throughout the state. One of the first questions people ask us when they call is “how much is this divorce going to cost me?”, and I give the classic lawyer answer you probably hear all the time: “It depends”. I’m not going to tell you how much it's going to cost because really there are many variables involved in the divorce process. I have been involved in divorces as cheap as $500, and I have been involved in divorces where it's gone up to six figures and everything in between. I try to help clients with managing the cost, but there are so many elements that go into play.
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What are the financial resources of the person asking for my help?
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How aggressively do they want to be in their divorce?
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You cannot control the other person’s actions in the case.
Contested Vs. Uncontested Divorce costs in NM
You don’t know how many times I have started a divorce and then the person says, “oh the other person will be agreeable to everything, and I’m like “are you sure?” and they say “oh yeah sure” and then once we get into it, that's not the case. They end up fighting over crazy stuff like the microwave oven, I know that's a silly example but it's a real thing I have witnessed. Someone in this case really wants that microwave oven and they are willing to spend thousands of dollars litigating the microwave oven or an RV or their favorite painting. Many times people fight over vehicles because perhaps that might be there one working vehicle between the two of them and that's what they want. I have even seen folks fight over broken-down cars on their property because they know they want to sell the broken-down car parts because there is a value associated with that.
Flat Fee Vs. Retainer with Law Firms in Albuquerque
It’s really difficult to tell you how much a divorce costs, but if you want the help of an attorney (a legal professional), you should expect to pay flat out. There are some law firms that offer pro-bono services, but most do not. I can’t honestly tell you a set cost, but I can tell you that there are most likely fee structures in which attorneys provide. If you are dealing with an uncontested divorce (that means you agree on 100% of everything) the law firms may send you a flat fee, but if your divorce is contested in any aspect ( there is a disagreement about something), then the law firm will most likely ask for a retainer here in New Mexico. That retainer can vary in price depending on law firms and attorneys' hourly rates. If you want more information about uncontested divorces, click here. For more information about your divorce process, call us to set up a consultation today. 505.317.4455