HOW MUCH DOES A DIVORCE COST?
The more a couple fights, the greater the cost. The more the court is involved, the greater the cost. The more people concentrate on a fair resolution, the lesser the cost.
I use an innovative system called the “Agreed Divorce Method.” By this system, I quote a reasonable flat fee. I will then represent you in any and all negotiation which are moving toward an agreement. (I cannot and will not represent both sides in a divorce.) These divorce negotiations take place before the divorce case is filed with the court. Of course, these voluntary negotiations require the participation of both sides. Once the agreement is reached on all issues of Property, Custody, Visitation, Child Support, Spousal Maintenance, etc., the case is filed with the court. Typically this requires only one trip to a courtroom. Since the parties and the attorneys are concentrating all of their efforts on settlement, there is a very high likelihood that you will save vast amounts of money. "no worry... fixed fees"
Even if the negotiations fail, you will learn a great deal about the issues that divide you and your spouse. The chances of failure are much less where the parties have an incentive to put their best foot forward and do their best negotiating in the beginning. Hopefully, you will consider the flat fee reasonable but, in any event, it usually tiny in comparison to the many thousand of dollars people can spend on a contested divorce. Think about it. If you announce to your lawyer that negotiations have failed, the next thing that must happen is the payment of a very large retainer for the contested case. I am quite sure it will make you think again about the negotiations.
A very substantial cost for legal services is the “travel time” for the lawyer. Another factor is the rate charged by “downtown lawyers.” I think you will find excellent legal advice from attorneys near the suburban courts. The Rolling Meadows Courthouse has two full service divorce courtrooms and one part-time paternity courtroom. If either party lives (even temporarily) in Wheeling, Mt. Prospect, Prospect Heights, Buffalo Grove, Arlington Heights, Rolling Meadows, Palatine, Barrington, Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Elk Grove Village, Roselle, Rosemont, or Elgin, Illinois the divorce case can be filed there. Because of the power of the downtown bar associations, there is currently a rule which allows an attorney an absolute right to move the case downtown. Please have a long talk with your spouse and don’t allow the case to be moved, why pay extra for the same service.
Why does the agreed divorce system work so well? It is because of the best kept secret: 95% of all divorce cases of every description end up with settlements. I wasn’t born yesterday. I know that people getting divorced are highly emotional and angry. But the fact remains, 95% settle. In some cases, you must “take your spouse to court.” But why assume you can’t reach an agreement. The odds are quite high that a reasonable, fair, professionally negotiated agreement can be achieved.
HOW LONG DOES A DIVORCE TAKE?
The answer in 95% of the cases is very simple. You tell me when the parties reach an agreement and I will tell you how long a divorce takes. Once all the papers are completed, the judge should be signing the final Decree for Dissolution of Marriage in 10 days to two weeks.
I use an innovative system called the “Agreed Divorce Method.” For a single flat fee, I will represent you in any and all negotiation which are moving toward an agreement. (I cannot and will not represent both sides in a divorce.) These divorce negotiations take place before the divorce case is filed with the court. Since all efforts are concentrated on reaching an agreement, the matter can be concluded faster. Of course, these voluntary negotiations require the participation of both sides and must include an agreement on all issues of Property, Custody, Visitation, Child Support and Spousal Maintenance.
In many cases, you and your spouse can be signing the FINAL PAPERS the very first day.
Filing Divorce cases and “going to court” rarely promotes a speedy resolution. With professional legal advice for both sides, the parties should understand their rights and their obligations. It makes no sense for both sides not to cooperate. That means that each side must fully disclose all facts. In the business world, million dollar deals are negotiated without “going to court.” Why then can’t a divorce be settled without the delay and expense of the court.
Once the agreement is reached and all papers are signed concluding the divorce is a quick process. This is particularly true in the Rolling Meadows Illinois Courthouse which has two full service divorce courtrooms and one part time paternity courtroom. If either party lives (even temporarily) in Wheeling, Mt. Prospect, Prospect Heights, Buffalo Grove, Arlington Heights, Rolling Meadows, Palatine, Barrington, Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Elk Grove Village, Roselle, Rosemont, or Elgin, Illinois the divorce case can be filed there. It is not unusual to be able to file the case with all the signed papers and have the final hearing in 10 days to two weeks.
WILL I GET A FAIR RESULT?
An experienced divorce attorney can assist you in negotiating a fair result. But no one can determine what is fair unless they know all of the facts. Negotiating without the facts is like target practice with blindfolds. Knowledge of the law is important but quite useless unless the parties are willing to make full disclosure. An experienced divorce attorney should be able to apply your facts to the law and tell you what is a fair result. That is because he has handled so many different types of cases. That is also why you should not try to compare your matter to your neighbors’s or your friend’s case. The devil is in the details.
I have been negotiating divorce cases for 34 years. Although it is still true that every case is different, the experience helps.
