The cost of your divorce case and how long it takes are mostly in the hands of you and your spouse. The cost and length of your case are dependent on the three Cs:
- Conflict
- Cooperation
- Complexity
Conflict. Definition: a serious disagreement or argument, typically a protracted one. The more conflict, the longer and more expensive your case will be. It’s not about the magnitude of your assets or how much money you have in the bank. A large estate could be managed efficiently if conflict is low. On the other hand, fighting about who gets a toaster can cost many more times than the newest and fanciest toaster in the store.
Cooperation. Definition: the process of working together to the same end. The more you and your spouse can cooperate – work together – the less expensive and less protracted your case will be. Cooperation does not mean that everything is flowers and sunshine in your discussions or that discussions are easy. It does mean, for instance, you cooperate with gathering information, providing documents when requested, and timely responding to any requests from your attorney.
Complexity. Definition: the state or quality of being intricate or complicated.Complexity can add to the cost of a case and its length because dealing with complexity takes time and careful thought. Some situations are complex enough where outside specialists are needed, or specific carefully constructed solutions are warranted.
