Divorce Costs

Most people who are contemplating a divorce would like to have an idea about both the legal fees and court costs of going through the divorce process. We have discussed before, in this blog about getting a divorce in Augusta, Georgia, the differences between legal fees in a contested versus an uncontested divorce.

Today, we will focus in this post on some of the court costs associated with the Georgia divorce. When you file for a divorce, uncontested or contested, you should expect to be responsible for a clerk of court filing fee of approximately $210.00, plus a sheriff's service fee of about $50.00. But that's only the beginning!

In addition, (on top of your divorce lawyer's legal fees), you should expect to pay for court reporter

fees and, in some cases involving child custody, fees for a guardian ad litem.  Also, you can expect that, in many divorces, you may have the additional costs of mediation.

These are just some of the court-related costs which you could be expected to pay when you file a divorce case in the State of Georgia!

How Much Do Uncontested Divorces Cost in Georgia?

Okay, maybe it is time that I got back up on my soapbox to protest, once again, the Georgia General Assembly's increase last year in the amount for filing for a divorce in this state.  (This terrible filing fee increase also applied to filing other types of civil lawsuits, too).  Specifically, the increase in the divorce case court filing fee jumped from $80.00 to a whopping $205.00!  Isn't that awful?

As Augusta, Georgia divorce attorneys, we try very hard to help our divorcing clients through a difficult time.  We have also helped many people, as divorce lawyers, by working hard to keep our legal fees affordable.  But we cannot change or help with the filing fees!  This significant increase in the court costs for a divorce has made it even more difficult for many Georgians seeking one.  Wouldn't it also be a terrible injustice if an abused wife must stay married, (and continue to get abused), simply because she cannot afford to get a divorce?  It happens!

Something must be done to correct this injustice!  Until that day comes, you can count on me to continue to climb back up on my soapbox to protest here!