Attorney's Fees for Divorcing in Indiana?

[danielocean03]

Hello INGO, this is a question for any lawyers amongst us or anyone who has been divorced recently in Indiana.

I've recently divorced and have received my final bill from my attorney, and although I'm well aware of legal fees I'm admittedly surprised at the overall total cost for the divorce.

Is there any sort of legal fee review service that might be able to review my invoices and see if I am being charged as I should?

I know all cases are different due to a ton of factors and variables, but if anyone can help shed some light on this, I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Mark-DuCo]

Good luck, my legal fees just to decide on which school my son would go to were over $15,000. I think lawyers in divorce cases agree to bleed both people dry.

 

[wtburnette]

Don't know the answer, but sorry to hear it. I've been through 2 divorces, but I was lucky enough that both were amicable enough that we completed the online forms and only had to go to a couple of hearings and the amount for each was under $300. Of course, that was with us, in both cases, splitting our assets 50-50. I realize that most divorces aren't able to go this way and I'm sorry to hear about how much it can cost.

 

[radar8756]

Don't know the answer, but sorry to hear it. I've been through 2 divorces, but I was lucky enough that both were amicable enough that we completed the online forms and only had to go to a couple of hearings and the amount for each was under $300. Of course, that was with us, in both cases, splitting our assets 50-50. I realize that most divorces aren't able to go this way and I'm sorry to hear about how much it can cost.

Did the Secretary Service Divorce in Florida in 1979 - went to their office - answered 20 questions - provided Marriage Certificate / Driver's License - they printed out forms to file at Court
- under $200 ... divorce granted 30 days - Final after 6 months

 

[KittySlayer]

...I'm admittedly surprised at the overall total cost for the divorce...

Were all of the fees for Legal Advice and work?

Most divorces incur bonus fees because one or both parties choose to use the attorneys to fight over petty stuff, to get even with their soon to be Ex, to prove a point, to be stubborn...

Attorneys make crappy (and expensive) marriage counselors.

Throw in kids and parents manipulating the kids as tools to get back at their Ex and the price goes up fast.

 

[danielocean03]

In my situation, I hired an attorney, my ex-wife did not.

Thankfully we did not have any issues with our children/parenting time as we have been separated since mid-2020 and have had a good 50/50 physical custody arrangement in place that has worked out well for us and more importantly the kids.

My ex did drag her feet to put it nicely, our financial declarations were due one month after filing for divorce, mine were turned in then and she never submitted the actual declaration, just three of the most recent pay stubs and some supporting documents for debts/assets, immediately before the mediation was scheduled.

We never went to court, settled everything in mediation, but the entire thing ran from mid-June 2022 to the end of July 2023.

 

[Creedmoor]

Were all of the fees for Legal Advice and work?

Most divorces incur bonus fees because one or both parties choose to use the attorneys to fight over petty stuff, to get even with their soon to be Ex, to prove a point, to be stubborn...

Attorneys make crappy (and expensive) marriage counselors.

Throw in kids and parents manipulating the kids as tools to get back at their Ex and the price goes up fast.

My first divorce was in the 80's, it cost me $1,200 in attorneys fees.
The second was a dozen years ago. I did it Pro se, she had an attorney. All it cost me was filing fee's at the courthouse.
She ended up with what she brought into the relationship 20 years before.
I will say this, I was told by an uncle that the first thing you work out in a divorce is who and where are the children going to live with. 50-50, 75-25, up to 100% Whatever it is, work that out first.
After the kids are worked out, the rest was easy. She didn't get dick.

 

[Super Bee]

Been divorced twice. No kids with either, no issues splitting everything.

Printed forms online and paid a couple hundred in filing fees I believe. Of course, not everyone is able to do this.

Best money I ever spent, havent seen ex-wife #1 in 14 years.

 

[KittySlayer]

We never went to court, settled everything in mediation, but the entire thing ran from mid-June 2022 to the end of July 2023.

Ugh! My ex slow walked everything for almost a year. Only reason she finally signed is because she wanted to marry someone else so she had to finally divorce me.

For statement review you might just talk to the attorney. Tell him you were shocked and ask him about it. Maybe he will offer you a discount, particularly for prompt payment.

 

[wtburnette]

Yeah, even mostly amicable divorces aren't great. My first wife told me she sent in the paperwork and never did. I paid for the whole thing (gave her money). I then moved back to IN from MN where I had lived for the last 13 years. 2 or 3 years later, I mentioned that I'd never received the divorce decree. She says, oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I never sent in the paperwork...

Thankfully I got everything submitted and paid for again in record time!

 

[Leo]

In '92, a friend and I both were getting divorced. He lived in a rented trailer, drove a car that needed jump started every morning, was working at a muffler shop. His silly wife never worked much, maybe a part time job at a fast food once and a while. His divorce in the same county as me was $250 and took about 90 days.

I had a new custom built home, investments, 401k, partnership in a contracting business, partial ownership of a 12 unit apartment building. Two cars, a boat, motorcycle and I was making an income comfortably above the median. My wife did not work. My divorce cost at least $25K and took two and a half years. I also paid $1900 a month for spousal support that whole time. It got pretty silly, she delayed the divorce several times over property settlement, one time we had to delay court over a pair of table lamps she gave me when I left. I did not care about the lamps, but it took her layer time to write a letter and my layer needs time to respond, and I paid for both of them. I ended up paying 100% of both attorneys completely out of "my half" of the property settlement.

The harder you work and more responsible you are, the more you are punished in divorce.

Any divorce is a sad deal, but the divorce laws, especially since they are"no Fault" are a recipe for abuse.