The cost is very expensive but I am sure that might be the cost for me as well. I have been wondering the cost and your message prompt me to look it up in my state. It is horrible

I was not to try to do your own divorce, it will be expensive but you want to use a lawyer because in the end it will cost more if one of you makes a mistake and you end up having to get a lawyer anyways. The cost of a divorce astounds me as well,

Whatever happens do not try to do your own divorce, it will be expensive but you want to use a lawyer because in the end it will cost more if one of you makes a mistake and you end up having to get a lawyer anyways. The cost of a divorce astounds me as well,

Mine will probably end up being about that much, but it's been rather high conflict. I have a friend who said hers cost $60,000 but they had kids and fought over everything for two years. I've always thought that a marriage license should cost $5000 and a divorce $50.

In UK I did my own divorce... £400 and no solicitors.
Now it is £550 in UK.

We agreed that we split 50/50 and the kids had grown up so... end of

It cost me about $5500 in legal fees in Maryland - that's in addition to the private mediation he paid for which was about $3000 more.

I'm in Maryland as well, and mediation is $3000. The attorney I have is rather expensive, but she's very good. $10,000!retainer. Hoping I don't need her for a bit.

OMG, I only wish I were looking at 8K. So far, I've put in $26,000. I guess this is a high conflict divorce, even though all of the issues are coming from his side. Kids and custody aren't an issue either. He and his lawyer have stalled and delayed for the last 6 months. He's passive agressive, so this is what he does, massively avoids conflict and confrontation. I can only hope the judge will agree to his paying some of my legal fees resulting from his attorney not returning phone calls, not showing up for meetings, etc. This Friday is our first meeting in front of a judge.. His lawyer tried to delay the Friday motion hearing and the judge said NO. In fact, he wants the 4 of us there, presumable to stop screwing around and get down to business. I've been smiling from ear to ear since my lawyer informed me of this today. Stbx, on the other hand, voluntarily gave me updates on the new house we are building (never does that) then went to bed at 9:15 without supper. He looks like death. Perhaps his lawyer finally spoke some truths to him about the realities. I'm still smiling. At the beginning, I thought we could mediate, because I am a reasonable person and wanted to minimize conflict and costs. He would have none of that. Even though you might think it's a quickie, it may turn into the biggest headache of your life.

I had to put up a 7200.oo retainer and that didn't last long. Not counting the three contempt hearings after the divorce was final I would guess my divorce cost between 15 and 20,000. The contempt hearings weren't cheap but that atty. was worth every dollar I paid him.

I'm at about 8,000 and things aren't even over yet. And to make matters worse my pyscho husband ran away and is now missing.

Thanks for the responses. It sounds like if I get a decent lawyer 8000 is not unreasonable. I guess I need to just suck it up and file! Though it still annoys me that he's the one who wanted the divorce but has not done anything about it....

Jojored my husband is passive aggressive as well. The whole breakdown of the marriage is because he avoids conflict. So I hope he doesn't stall the process like yours just so he can avoid these necessary steps....

How does everyone pay if you don't nt have that money laying around?

How does everyone pay if you don't have that money laying around?

Birdlover, many people beg, borrow and steal. Some take out a home equity loan, open up new credit cards. I sometimes feel that the divorce proceedings grow to the level of funds available for the lawyers. My case is complicated because we built a house, mostly with $$ from my inheritance. My lawyer is trying to obtain more than 50% equity in it, but our proceedings haven't even gotten to that point yet.

Koko, you should probably steel yourself for a rough ride. Many sage veterans on this board suggested I'd have issues due to his passive agressiveness, and they were right. I hoped for otherwise. Really, if he can't deal with conflict in his everyday life, he will have less ability during this tense period of his life. That's why he hasn't filed, it's too big for him. You might have to do more of the legal work, which means your attorney fees will be higher than his.

I still keep thinking stbx is doing more than he is toward his defense. He waits for the last minute to prepare anything for his lawyer. One time this summer I thought he was hunkered down at home doing his case information statement (which I overheard him tell the paralegal he'd have done at the end of the day), I found that he was watching tv most of the day and started the paperwork at 3:00 pm. Incrediously, he though he could drive to his lawyer's office at 6 and put his papers into a lockbox or something. Like they're there on a Friday night just waiting for him to finish up. And the times I've seen his responses, they're written with very little fact and alot of "feeling". Divorce is not about feelings, how he feels wronged, or sad or whatever, it's about the law. He's so emotionally immature and it comes out in his writing. I think that will not serve him well.