The legal costs involved with divorce are, rightly, a concern for many people when considering whether or not to get divorced. In terms of the actual divorce suit, there is usually a court fee of £593.00 payable on filing the application, unless parties can claim an exemption from paying the costs. This fee is either paid directly to the court by a person filing the divorce petition or, if that person is instructing a solicitor, then the solicitor might often pay the divorce fee using monies from their client that are held on account.
In terms of legal representation for the divorce suit, solicitors offer a wide range of options from fixed-fee divorce packages to charging based solely on a solicitor’s hourly rate.
At McAlister Family Law, we offer a fixed fee divorce package of £550 plus VAT (£110) and the Court fee of £593. As such, our Divorce fixed fee package will cost £1,253. We also offer discounted rates for Police officers of £400 plus VAT (£80) plus the court fee of £593. As such, our discounted Divorce fixed fee package for Police officers (serving or retired) will cost £1,073.
It is important to note that the divorce suit, and matters around the matrimonial finances (i.e. the family home, cash savings, pensions etc.) and arrangements for any children of the family, are entirely separate to the divorce suit and will not automatically be resolved when filing an application for divorce. Issues around the matrimonial financial element of the case, arrangements for children, or other issues, will also not caught within the aforementioned fixed fee structure. Usually, matters involving the matrimonial finances and/or arrangements for children will be charged at the respective hourly rate of the solicitor who has conduct of the file(s) / matter(s). There are ways that you can minimise how much a case involving matrimonial finances, or arrangements for children, will costs.
The easiest, and most simple, way to do this is to ensure that you have communicate the instructions to your solicitor clearly and that you are organised when gathering and preparing any documents that have been requested by your solicitor, the court, or the other side. It is also possible to minimise the legal fees that you might incur by dealing with matters as amicably, and sensibly, as possible. It may be both beneficial in terms of maintaining a level of amicability, and minimising your legal fees, to attempt mediation before seeking the assistance of a solicitor when considering the division of any matrimonial assets.
Essentially, if it is possible to reach some form of agreement with your spouse in relation to the matrimonial finances and/or arrangements for any child(ren), prior to instructing a solicitor to act on your behalf, your legal costs will usually be lower than if you are instructing a solicitor to make the first suggestion of negotiations to your spouse.
