Key Takeaways
- Anyone facing divorce in Florida probably wonders how much it will cost them.
- The absolute minimum cost for getting a divorce in Florida is about $409 for the County court filing fee.
- Divorce lawyer fees in Florida vary widely based primarily on experience, location, and the firm’s reputation.
- Contested divorces are generally far more costly than simplified and uncontested divorces.
- The divorce lawyers of Tallahassee’s Cowhey + Ward highlight everything you need to know about how much it costs to get a divorce in Florida.
In 2014, a Palm Beach County, Florida, divorce court approved a settlement in which Russian billionaire Dmitry Ryboloviev was to pay his ex-wife, Elena, $4.5 billion, the most expensive divorce ever handled by the state. While a Swiss court essentially nullified the award, the six-plus-year divorce, involving legal action in four countries and more than 200 court filings, proved to be a bonanza for each side’s legal team. Florida divorce records are sealed, but total lawyer fees could have been as high as $80 million (late in the proceedings, Elena’s legal team asked the judge to award them $45 million in “interim” fees).
If divorce might be in your future, such numbers might make you concerned about how much it costs to get a divorce in Florida. The divorce lawyers at Cowhey + Ward Attorneys at Law can help allay such concerns by noting that billionaires can afford to pay for high-powered attorneys whose fees start at $1,000 per hour. Fortunately, we mere mortals can shop around for reasonably priced divorce lawyers.
So, how much does it cost to get a divorce in Florida? Cowhey + Ward divorce attorneys will tell you it depends on numerous factors. Still, on average, divorce costs in Florida range from $500 to $10,000 for conflict-free divorces to $5,000 to $75,000 for contested divorces. And, as evidenced by the Ryboloviev divorce, some contested divorces in Florida can be significantly more expensive. Let’s review Florida divorce costs in more detail.
What do Florida Courts Charge for Divorces?
Anyone filing for divorce in Florida must first pay a $409 filing fee to the county clerk of court, as well as minor supplemental fees covering summons and their service, for a total of up to $470, depending on the county. Other court-related expenses that can arise include fees for court appearances, document preparation, and court-ordered mediation.
How Much Are Divorce Lawyer Fees in Florida?
Suppose you’re planning to undergo a simplified divorce in which there are no minor children to be considered, no alimony, and both parties are in full agreement on all elements of their divorce settlement. In that case, you might get away with only having to pay court fees. However, if there’s even a hint of disagreement about any issue, including property division, alimony, child custody, or child support, you should hire a competent divorce lawyer to ensure that your rights are protected and that the process works fairly and equitably. A skilled divorce lawyer can prove invaluable in resolving divorce cases involving significant assets, complex disagreements, and/or excessive spousal animosity. Even with simplified and uncontested divorces, you should have all legal documents reviewed by a divorce lawyer to ensure the legal soundness and fairness of the agreement.
Divorce attorney fees in Florida vary widely and are primarily based on experience, location, and the firm’s reputation. In general, a lawyer with limited experience charges much less than those with a decade or more of experience, while urban lawyers charge more than rural ones. Average hourly fees charged by Florida divorce lawyers based on experience fall along these averages:
- Newer lawyers—$245-$300 per hour.
- Lawyers with 10-plus years of experience—$280-$375.
- Partners—$375-$460.
- Partners at highly prestigious firms—$450 and up.
The complexity of your divorce will primarily dictate how many hours your divorce lawyer will end up charging you. Competent divorce lawyers can handle most simplified and uncontested divorces in under 10 hours. When it comes to contested divorces, the sky’s the limit on how much time they might need to resolve the underlying disputes. However, on average, Florida divorce lawyers spend between 40 and 120 hours resolving a contested divorce. Elements of a contested divorce that consume the divorce lawyer’s time include, but are not limited to:
- Financial intake assessment
- Strategizing
- Financial disclosure
- Discovery
- Petitions and counter-petitions
- Depositions
- Mediation
- Motions and hearings
- Trial prep
- Trial
- Post-trial wrap-up
Are There Other Costs In a Florida Divorce?
Except for court and legal fees, there are typically no additional expenses with simplified and uncontested divorces in Florida. Contested divorces involve court-ordered mediation, which typically costs $250-$500 per hour for the mediator’s services, averaging between four and eight hours. If there’s a suspicion that a spouse has hidden assets, your lawyer may need to hire a forensic accountant—$275-$450 per hour—to trace the hidden money. This might cost anywhere from $6,000 to $15,000, on average. Other potential costs in a contested divorce include:
- Business valuator (if the value of a spouse’s business is in dispute)—$3,500 to $15,000.
- Real estate appraiser—$400 to $800 per property.
- Court fees for motions, subpoenas, and hearings—$10 to $55 each.
- Discovery costs (interrogatories, depositions, document demands)—$400 to $4,000.
- Custody evaluator (in cases with extreme custody disputes or one parent accuses the other of being unfit)—$4,500 to $8,500.
- Guardian Ad Litem—$200 to $400 per hour
- Miscellaneous experts—very wide range
- Parenting class (mandatory if there are minor children)—$30 to $60 for each parent.
What to Do if You Cannot Afford a Divorce Lawyer?
If you are a stay-at-home parent, or your spouse was the primary breadwinner, you can petition the divorce court to get your spouse to pay your legal fees. To ensure that both sides of the divorce have equal legal representation, Florida law allows the court to order one spouse to pay a “reasonable” amount of the other spouse’s legal fees based on need. Judges rely on a three-question test to ensure equitable payment of legal fees, which determines:
- Whether the petitioning spouse actually needs financial assistance to pay for a lawyer.
- Whether the other spouse can afford to pay the fees.
- And, whether the requested legal fees are reasonable for the case.
Turn to Cowhey + Ward for Your Divorce in Florida
Cowhey + Ward divorce lawyers have more than two decades of experience helping clients secure favorable divorce outcomes in Tallahassee. We understand our clients’ financial concerns and strive to find the most cost-effective way to achieve their legal goals in divorce. To learn how Cowhey + Ward can help ensure that your divorce is settled fairly and preserves your legal rights, please contact us today at (850) 222-1000.
FAQs: How Much Does It Cost to Get a Divorce in Florida?
Q: How much are Florida divorce filing fees?
A: Fees for filing for divorce in Florida cost a minimum $408, with additional county fees that can raise the total cost by $10 to $50.
Q: What is the cheapest means of getting a Florida divorce?
A: Simplified and uncontested divorces are the cheapest options and, in some cases, may only cost the filing fees.
Q: How much does a Florida divorce attorney cost?
A: With a statewide average of $295 per hour, Florida divorce lawyers charge between $200-$750 per hour, depending on their experience, firm, reputation, and location. In Tallahassee’s Leon County, divorce lawyer rates range from $225 to $450 per hour.
Q: Can I get my spouse to pay my lawyer’s fees?
A: Florida law allows divorce courts to order one spouse to pay a reasonable amount for the other’s attorney fees based on need and ability to pay. The goal is to ensure that both sides have equal legal firepower and that the parties receive equitable payment for it.
Q: Can both spouses work with the same lawyer to get a simplified or uncontested divorce?
A: No. The Florida Bar Association’s ethics rules prohibit an attorney from representing two clients whose interests are “directly adverse.”