{"id":351843,"date":"2016-04-04T11:02:35","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T16:02:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ability-fl-prod.internetbrands.com\/ability-law\/family\/family-legal-help\/hiring-a-family-law-attorney-types-of-legal-costs.html"},"modified":"2023-05-15T12:55:10","modified_gmt":"2023-05-15T17:55:10","slug":"hiring-a-family-law-attorney-types-of-legal-costs","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/family-legal-help\/hiring-a-family-law-attorney-types-of-legal-costs.html","title":{"rendered":"Hiring a Family Law Attorney: Types of Legal Costs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Hiring a Family Law Attorney: Types of Legal Costs<\/h1>\n\n
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\n By Jade Yeban, Esq.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Bridget Molitor, JD<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n

Cost is an important consideration when hiring an attorney.  Attorneys differ in how they charge their clients, so you should discuss fees before hiring one. You should ask about the fee arrangement during your initial consultation.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Hiring a Family Law Attorney: Types of Legal Costs<\/h2>\n

A family law attorney may charge you their usual fees for legal services, plus\u00a0<\/i>additional expenses and costs. For example, if a lawyer represents you in a\u00a0divorce proceeding<\/a>, you must pay for the attorney’s fees and other legal fees, such as court costs. Court costs can include things like filing fees to file your divorce petition.<\/p>\n

Several costs may appear on your lawyer’s bill. Some lawyers may charge for these costs separately, while other lawyers may lump the expenses together as a separate item on your bill. Still, others may include some of these costs in their fee. It’s essential to understand how your attorney will charge your fees upfront.<\/p>\n

This article will help provide an overview of what types of legal costs to expect during your family law case.<\/p>\n

Attorney’s Fees for Legal Services<\/h2>\n

Lawyers have different fee structures for charging lawyer fees. Some lawyers charge a flat fee for their legal services, while others charge an hourly rate or hourly fee. For example, a lawyer may charge a flat fee for creating a prenuptial agreement for a couple.<\/p>\n

Some may charge a retainer fee, while others allow contingency fee agreements. Remember that\u00a0contingency fee agreements<\/a>\u00a0are not usually allowed for cases involving child custody, child support, alimony, spousal support, or divorce.<\/p>\n

You will want to discuss your options with your attorney to determine the best agreement for you and your legal matters. While your lawyer may not be able to give you an exact overall cost for their representation \u2014 including additional legal costs \u2014 they should be able to provide you with an estimate based on experience.<\/p>\n

For more helpful information about understanding different types of fee agreements, please visit FindLaw’s\u00a0Attorney Fee Agreements<\/a>\u00a0page.<\/p>\n

Types of Additional Legal Costs<\/h2>\n

Before you hire your family lawyer, be sure to find out if these types of costs are included and whether they will be itemized on your bill. These costs will depend on what type of case you are pursuing and how much time your case will take to pursue.<\/p>\n

For example, more complex cases may need more research than other cases. Conducting legal research requires a more significant amount of time and work. Thus, complex cases will usually have a higher average cost than simpler cases, like an uncontested divorce.<\/p>\n

Costs in addition to the lawyer’s cost may include:<\/p>\n