how much is a divorce lawyer in arkansas

by Annabelle Maggio 5 min read

Divorce Filing Fees and Typical Attorney Fees by State
StateAverage Filing FeesOther Divorce Costs and Attorney Fees
Arkansas$165Average fees: $8,000+
California$435 (Ask for a fee waiver)Average fees: $14,000
Colorado$230Average fees: $11,000+
Connecticut$360 (excluding paternity legal action)Average fees: $12,000+
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Jul 21, 2020

Full Answer

How much does it cost to get divorce in Arkansas?

How much does a divorce in Arkansas cost? Typical filing fees for a divorce in Arkansas are around $165, but these fees may vary from county to county. Beyond the filing fee, there are many factors that affect how much your divorce will cost. In general, the more issues you and your spouse can agree on, the less expensive your divorce will be.

How soon can you get remarried after divorce in Arkansas?

The grounds for divorce in Arkansas are the following:

  • Impotence;
  • The other spouse was convicted of a felony;
  • Habitual drunkenness;
  • Cruel and barbarous treatment;
  • Adultery;
  • General indignities;
  • Lived separate and apart for eighteen 18 continuous months;
  • Lived separate and apart for three years due to spouse’s incurable insanity and the spouse has been committed to a mental health facility;

More items...

How much does it cost to file bankruptcy in Arkansas?

How much does it cost to file bankruptcy in Arkansas? If you leave out one piece of information, possibly by accident, your trustee and the court may wonder if you are leaving out any other information, and thus intensify their review of your case. The court fee for a Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Arkansas is $338.

How to reduce the cost of a divorce?

How To Reduce The Cost Of Your Divorce

  • Uncontested divorce. One of the best ways to reduce litigation costs is to do an uncontested divorce. ...
  • Be honest with your attorney. ...
  • Make good use of your attorney’s time. ...
  • Let your attorney draft the settlement agreement. ...
  • Control your emotions. ...

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How much does it cost to file for divorce in Arkansas without a lawyer?

How Much Does it Cost to File for Divorce in Arkansas? You'll need to pay a filing fee of approximately $165 when you file a petition for divorce in Arkansas, although fees may vary from county to county. You should check with your local court for the most up-to-date information.

What is the cheapest way to get a divorce in Arkansas?

A do-it-yourself (DIY) divorce will be the cheapest route to ending your marriage, but it will take some time and attention to detail to make sure you have all the right forms, fill them out correctly, and follow all of the steps and requirements for divorce in Arkansas.

How long does it take to get a divorce in Arkansas?

Legally, a divorce is required to take at least a month. The law requires that 30 days pass between the day of filing and the entry of the divorce decree. If everyone is agreeable, then we can get a divorce completed, realistically, within about 45-60 days.

Is Arkansas A 50/50 divorce state?

Arkansas is an equitable distribution states. This means that all assets acquired during a marriage will be divided in a fair and equitable manner, but not necessarily 50/50. Courts will consider several factors in determining how to equitably divide property.

Can I get divorced without a lawyer?

Yes, it is possible to file your own divorce and complete the process without the aid of an attorney.

What are grounds for divorce in Arkansas?

The fault-based grounds for divorce in Arkansas are: Impotence - Your spouse was impotent at the time of the marriage and continues to be impotent; Felony conviction - Your spouse is convicted of a felony or other “infamous crime;”

Can a divorce be denied?

Thus, the courts can deny you a divorce if the judge is convinced you haven't sorted all your kid's custody issues. Not proving at-fault divorce – If you stated fault-based grounds for divorce, such as adultery, and you failed to sufficiently support these claims with evidence, the court can deny your divorce.

Do you have to be separated before divorce in Arkansas?

Arkansas is a fault state for divorce. This means you will have to show that your spouse did something to you in order to get a divorce. The only way to get a divorce from your spouse without showing fault is to live separate and apart from your spouse for at least 18 continuous months.

Is marriage counseling required before divorce in Arkansas?

Note: Arkansas is one of a handful of states that allow covenant marriages aside from the traditional marriage. This is a different type of marriage in which, among other things, the couple agrees to counseling before the marriage and to more limited grounds for a divorce if they decide to get one in the future.

Can my wife take my retirement in a divorce?

Under the law in most states, retirement plan assets earned during a marriage are considered to be marital property that can and should be divided. It's therefore advisable for couples to make these assets part of their property settlement agreement negotiations and their divorce decree.

How much alimony will I get in Arkansas?

Arkansas law sets out a general base amount of 20% of the spouse's income, but there are many factors that can be considered in setting alimony. Alimony is generally based on the spouse's income, daily financial needs, health needs, and standard of life they had during the marriage.

Is alimony common in Arkansas?

Rehabilitative alimony is the most common type of support awarded in the State of Arkansas. Essentially, rehabilitative alimony is designed to help the receiving spouse gain the skills, education or training necessary to improve his or her earning potential.

How Much Does a Divorce Cost in Arkansas?

To end your marriage at the lowest cost, it is advisable to collect the needed docs and submit them with a court-house by following the instructions given by any specific service provider. However, this works well only in the case when you two aren’t ranged against any of the terms and can hammer out a compromise with ease.

How the Cost of Divorce in Arkansas Vary

How much does it cost to file for divorce in Arkansas? – you are asking. In fact, the cost to file for divorce in Arkansas will depend on a county. Nevertheless, it generally amounts for something like $300. Usually, this amount of money is made up of smaller fees, and a filing fee is one of them.

How much does it cost to file a divorce complaint in Arkansas?

The amount of the filing fee may vary from county to county. For example, in Pulaski County, Arkansas, the filing fee is $185.00. However, in Dallas County, Arkansas, it is $165.00. Once your complaint for divorce is filed, it will be time to serve your spouse the documents.

Why is it so hard to put a price on divorce?

This is due to possible issues that may have to be brought before the court such as, custody, visitation, division of property, discovery, etc.

How much does a process server cost?

A process server is a privately owned company, and their fee for service will vary. It may range from $50.00 to $100.00. It will depend on variables such as time, distance, location, etc. This is also a fee that is charged to your attorney, which means that you will likely see it on your monthly bill.

Where to file a complaint for divorce?

If you are the spouse initiating the divorce your attorney will draft up the complaint based on your reasons for wanting a divorce and file with the court clerk’s office in the county that holds jurisdiction. The clerk’s office will charge your attorney a fee to have this document filed.

Does divorce cost money?

In the next version, the answer to this question is that yes a divorce of any kind will cost money, but it will also cost emotional pain and in some cases, it will cost family dissolution.

Do you have to attend transparenting classes in Arkansas?

In most states, but more specifically in the State of Arkansas, when children are involved and either spouse files for divorce, both parties may be required to attend transparenting classes.

Do filing fees come out of retainer?

You may be thinking, “The filing fee should come out of my retainer”. However, you will learn during the consultation the retainer is for the actual work that the attorney performs on your case, such as the actual drafting of the complaint itself. The amount of the filing fee may vary from county to county.

How to file for divorce in Arkansas?

To file for divorce in Arkansas, you will first need a Complaint for Divorce or a Petition. This is your document which tells the court that you want a divorce and why. It also tells the court what else you want (i.e. custody). You will also need a Summons, which tells your spouse that you have filed a legal action against him or her.

What are the grounds for divorce in Arkansas?

The grounds for divorce in Arkansas are the following: Impotence; The other spouse was convicted of a felony; Habitual drunkenness; Cruel and barbarous treatment; Adultery; General indignities; Lived separate and apart for eighteen 18 continuous months;

How long do you have to be a resident of Arkansas to file for divorce?

In order to file for a divorce in Arkansas, you must be a resident of Arkansas for at least 60 days before you file your Complaint for Divorce. You will have to continue to be a resident of Arkansas for 30 days after you file your Complaint.

How long do you have to file a complaint for divorce?

If you are served with a Complaint for Divorce, then you have 30 days to file an Answer, which is a written response to the Complaint. If you or your spouse is incarcerated when served with the Complaint for divorce, then you or your spouse has 60 days to file an Answer.

What does it mean to have a diligent attempt to serve your spouse?

Diligent attempts means that you have sent the divorce papers to the last known place your spouse was living. You will need to send the papers by cert ified mail, restricted delivery with return receipt requested or have a process server go to your spouse’s last known place of residence to attempt service.

How long does a divorce hearing last?

For the most part, the judge will expect you to go to court to finalize the divorce. A hearing as described above, is very short, lasting about 10 minutes long. If your spouse has signed the divorce decree, therefore, making this an uncontested divorce then she/he will not have to go to court either.

How long does it take to get divorced?

However, as long as you can prove fault or prove that you and your spouse have been living separate and apart for at least 18 months, then the court will grant your divorce. You will have to be prepared to put on proof of fault or 18 months of separation. You can do this through witnesses or documentary evidence.

How much does a divorce attorney cost?

The total cost of a divorce is about $15,000, but can go as high as $100,000 depending on how many issues you want a judgment on ...

How much does it cost to file for divorce?

The cost will vary from state to state, but typically it’s about $300 , which can sting, considering the circumstances.

What is more important than paying a lawyer?

Far more important than what you are paying your lawyer and the courts is hiring the right attorney. Do your research based on what you can afford, and find the right representation to protect what you have at stake.

Is divorce time consuming?

Divorces can be time-consuming and messy, and the issues in each divorce are different from one couple to the next. Because the outcome of every divorce is determined by the defendants, the attorneys, and what is at stake, it’s nearly impossible to find a standard overall cost.

Is divorce pleasant?

No one would ever describe the divorce process as being pleasant; neither would any spouses say on their wedding day they were planning on divorcing down the road. But divorce happens—for at least 50 percent of all first, second, and third marriages.

How long does it take to get a Divorce In Arkansas?

Divorces are like cars – you can buy a clunker on Craigslist for barely anything or you can buy an Escalade for $70,000! It’s a silly analogy, but a true one. There is no one size fits all divorce, no matter what you wish were true and what you may think from reading blogs like this one.

Uncontested divorces

A truly uncontested divorce at the low end would be quick to do and wouldn’t involve children or real property or personal property division. This is a unicorn – very rare and I really don’t believe it exists! There is always something that complicates a divorce and that the parties need guidance about.

More complicated divorces

If there are complicating factors then a divorce could take 12-18 months. These might include custody and support complications, or large financial issues to resolve, or even small disagreements that the parties are arguing about like cats and dogs.

What is the cost of a Divorce in Arkansas?

Cost, like length, is relative to the issues we are arguing over. Can you get a divorce for just your filing fee? Absolutely! The forms are free online and you can do it. The trick is knowing what to put in all those blanks!

Leigh Law offers Flat Fees & Payment Plans instead

We developed a flat fee system handling divorces. Our services are like a buffet – we provide the service you need when you need it, for a known cost, and we don’t provide or charge you for services you don’t need or want. Our clients love our flat fees and payment plans, and we love it because our clients love it!

Call For A Free Case Evaluation

Case evaluations are completely free; our fees are flat and affordable. Call Leigh Law today at (501) 227-ROAR or Email Us to ensure that you are making wise decisions now which will last far beyond the entry of the divorce decree.

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