Family Law Costs – How We Charge

A big consideration for every client, the amount you pay on legal fees will depend on the type of family law matter and whether it will proceed on consent or be contested.

Circuit Court matters

Circuit Court family law cases (i.e. Divorce, Judicial Separation, Cohabitation and Pension Adjustment Orders) can be quite complex. The fees will depend on the circumstances of each case.

Liston Family Law is up front on fees from our first meeting with clients. After our initial consultation with you, when we have a clear understanding of how complex your matter is and the likelihood of an agreement being reached before a hearing, we will provide you with a range of estimated costs.

The first range will be if the matter settles relatively quickly outside of a Court hearing and Orders are obtained on consent.

The second range will be if the matter does not settle before a hearing date is fixed.

The potential fees involved will be explained to you and a detailed s.150 Legal Costs letter will be provided after the initial consultation should you wish to proceed with Liston Family Law. If there is any expected increase in the initial estimate this will be clearly communicated to you and an updated s.150 Legal Costs letter will be sent to you.

Liston Family Law requires an initial retainer to be paid for all Circuit Court matters before Counsel is briefed. Interim bills are sent out regularly (every two months) so that you are regularly kept informed what fees you have incurred. Any outstanding balance is payable before the conclusion of your matter.

We understand that with as every case is different, every client’s financial circumstances is also different. We offer structured payment options and will discuss our fees with you in detail so that you know from the outset what your legal fees will most likely be. There will be no surprises in our final bill, and we find this helps clients who are already dealing with a significant amount of stress.

Fixed Fees

We provide a fixed fee for drafting Deeds of Separation (where parties have agreed all matters) and some other family law related documents.

Liston Family Law is not currently taking on District Court cases.