The single biggest factor in what your divorce costs is not your lawyer’s hourly rate. It is whether you and your spouse are fighting.
Two people who agree can be finished for a predictable flat fee. Two people who fight over a $4,000 truck can spend $20,000 arguing about it. That is not an exaggeration — contested cases run on hearings, discovery, depositions, mediators, and expert witnesses, and every one of those has a meter attached.
Attorney’s fees vs. court costs
These are two different buckets, and it matters that you understand which is which:
- Attorney’s fees — what we charge to draft the petition, the waiver, and the final decree, and to walk it through the court. For a true uncontested case, we quote this up front as a flat fee.
- Court filing fee — set by the Frio County District Clerk, not by us. Paid when the petition is filed.
- Service or citation costs — only if your spouse will not sign a waiver of service and has to be formally served.
- Extras — a QDRO to divide a retirement account, a special warranty deed for real property, or a certified copy of the decree. Not everyone needs these; you will be told before anything is drafted.
Five ways people run up the bill without meaning to
- Hiring two lawyers for a case where both sides already agree.
- Changing the agreement three times after the decree is drafted. Every rewrite is work.
- Refusing to gather documents, so the attorney has to chase account numbers and legal descriptions.
- Leaving out an asset or a debt, then needing a post-decree fix a year later.
- Using the divorce as a way to punish someone. It is the most expensive form of revenge available in Texas.
Payment arrangements
Most people do not have a lump sum sitting around when a marriage ends. Ask about payment arrangements during the free consultation — it is a normal question and nobody is going to look at you sideways for asking it.
The honest bottom line: if you and your spouse can agree on the house, the debts, and the kids, you can be divorced in Frio County for a fraction of what a contested case costs. Get the number before you hire anyone.