The cost of getting divorce in Colorado is based upon a number of factors. One factor obviously is the filing fee. You have the cost involved in filing your case with the court. If it’s a co-petitioner filing, in other words, you and your spouse filed together, there would be one filing fee. If you are the petitioner and your spouse is the respondent, there will be a filing fee for filing a response. First off, there is the filing fee.
Other factors obviously are attorney’s fees. What do attorney’s fees cost? My hourly rate is $285 an hour. My paralegal time is build at $155 an hour. Support staff time is billed at $50 an hour. We operate in an hourly basis, so what your case is going to cost you here at Lewis & Matthews depends basically on how much work it’s going to take. How involved you are in assisting in the process.
Some people are very savvy with their paperwork and they are really good at completing their financial documents including the sworn financial statement and getting together the necessary documents. Then make it a smooth process that naturally cuts down on your cost. Other folks are a little more challenged with paperwork and they’re going to need a little more assistance, so that will drive the cost up.
We do try to shift the cost to the highest paid person who can successfully complete that task. If it’s a situation that my paralegal, Jodi Cochran, can handle, then she will do that task. For example, she will help folks with their sworn financial statements and their mandatory financial disclosures. I would to court with the clients and also talk to opposing counsel, judges, mediators and similar.
Other factors that are involved to determining the cost of your case are do you need to have a piece of property appraised? Do you need to pay for an appraisal? Another factor is if you have minor children, do you need to have a child and family investigator appointed or do you need to have a parental responsibilities evaluation done? Those were additional cost over and above attorney’s fees.
Other factors include filing fees for filing documents. We are charged essentially roughly $13.15 for everything we file online, so that can add to the cost and how long your case takes. Also the level of conflict. If you’re able to resolve your situation with a minimum amount of conflict, it’s going to be less expensive. If however you need a temporary orders hearing, you need to go to mediation and then you still can’t get your case resolved and you’re going to have to go to a permanent orders hearing. That’s going to drive the cost up because it takes more time to successfully complete your case.