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The Potential “Costs” of Filing for Orlando Divorce

What are the potential costs for filing an Orlando divorce?

1. The filing fee paid to the clerk of court is currently $408.00.
2. The cost for the summons is $10.00. This is paid to the clerk of court.
3. The cost for the process server to serve the summons and Orlando divorce pleadings on your spouse in the greater Orlando area is approximately $50.00. If you have to serve a spouse who recently moved out of state it is approximately $100.00 to $150.00.
4. The attorney will want a nonrefundable retainer in order to take your case and to ensure their availability. In the greater Orlando area, the average initial nonrefundable retainer for an attorney will range anywhere from $2,500.00 to $10,000.00 depending on the complexity of the case and the qualifications of the attorney.

There may also be other costs depending on the complexity and contentious nature of the case.
They can include the following:

5. Court reporter fees for deposition or trial. They are approximately $95 for first hour and then $75 for each additional hour thereafter.
6. Custody Evaluation. That is approximately $7,500.00 for one child. The is an evaluation wherein a psychologist evaluates the child, you and your spouse and determines the time sharing that would be in the best interest of the child.
7. Mediation fees for a private mediator are usually $200 to $350 per hour. Usually mediations will be set for a 1/2 day or a full day depending on the issues in the case to be resolved. A private mediator is required if the parties combined incomes is over $100,000.00. If the combined incomes are less than $100,000.00 then you can use a county mediator. If your combined incomes are under $50,000.00, each spouse pays $60.00 for 3 hours of county mediation. If the combined incomes are between $50,000.00 and $100,000.00, then the mediation fee for each party is $120.00 for 3 hours.
8. There are cost for copies of approximately 30 cents per page.
9. There are costs for postage of the actual postage rate.
10. There are costs for long distance telephone calls of the actual cost of the phone call.
11. Many of the costs associated with 8 -10 are eliminated by using email. However, there may be occasions where the adverse party does not have email.
12. Forensic Accountants. They find hidden money of the other spouse or evaluate whether or not the spouse is hiding money. They also preform business evaluations and determine the worth of a business. They will probably want an initial retainer of $5,000.00.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not form an attorney client privilege.