Hiring a divorce lawyer in Colorado can be expensive, but it is absolutely necessary. Although the state does offer resources so you can represent yourself, these are only sufficient in a very limited number of cases with little property and no children from the marriage. In most cases, you will get a better, faster outcome with an experienced divorce attorney representing you rather than trying to represent yourself and usually it costs less money to do it right the first time.
If you’re worried about your divorce rights, submit a free case evaluation to our attorneys or give us a call at 720.594.7360.
Here’s what you can expect in terms of cost as you begin looking at divorce lawyers in Colorado:
How attorney fees are calculated and billed
Divorce attorneys do not typically offer free consultations. Most consultations will be based on a 60-75 minute time block at the lawyer’s hourly rate. Research the firm online and ask questions of intake staff to determine whether or not you want to pay for that consultation.
Almost all divorce lawyers in Colorado bill at an hourly rate. However, time is actually billed in 5-, 6-, or 10-minute increments. It’s important to understand how your attorney bills so you have a better understanding of what your actual costs might be.
There may be individual fees listed for calls or emails, or these may also be billed at the hourly rate. Either way, this should be specified in the contract. You should also expect to see what you will be billed for the time of other staff. These efforts are also usually based on an hourly rate based on the career level and duties of the staff and billed in the same increments as the attorney. Your attorney should also make clear any filing fees or additional costs that may be associated with the divorce case and third party costs such as mediation, experts, etc.
The best divorce lawyers in Colorado have transparent fee structures outlined in the contract and itemized billing statements so that you know exactly what you are paying for and why. Divorce attorneys in Colorado require a retainer be paid when the contract is signed. This retainer varies by attorney based on the facts of the case.
How much does a divorce lawyer cost in the US?
The average hourly rate for divorce lawyers in the United States is $270 per hour. However, the cost of a divorce in the US varies greatly depending on how much time and effort must be poured into your case by the attorney and their staff. Uncontested divorces are much cheaper than contested cases. Even contested cases can be moved through the courts quickly depending on the circumstances.
The average cost of a divorce in the United States is $15,000 to $20,000, but this reflects a small number of high dollar cases. The costs of the case are driven by the issues, the demeanor of the parties, how contentious the case is over net worth, experts, etc.
Ways to decrease the cost of a divorce lawyer in Colorado
Since divorce lawyers in Colorado bill by the hour, there are many things you can do to decrease the overall cost of your attorney fees. The most important thing you can do to decrease costs in your divorce is to provide your attorney with as much information and documentation as possible. You can be organized and efficient with communications. The more you can provide to your attorney in a clear and organized way, the less your attorney needs to hunt down. Being able to settle some items in your divorce ahead of time will also help your lawyer spend less time on your case. That is not always possible but if your attorney is spending time working on the smaller items in the case instead of the big picture, that can add to overall costs.
Colorado Legal Group offers reasonable costs and favorable outcomes
Hiring an attorney is an important decision, and while budget is an obvious factor it should not be the determining criteria for your divorce lawyer. Although hiring an attorney isn’t inexpensive, we provide unmatched representation and optimal case outcomes. We offer $275 divorce consultations at Colorado Legal Group. Contact us today to schedule and see how we make the difference.