If you decide that you want me to represent you in your divorce or family law matter we will discuss and come to an agreement on my retainer fee.
There are often additional costs and expenses that you will incur in addition to my attorney fees such as court costs and litigation expenses. If you are filing a domestic relations action (divorce, modification, contempt, etc) in Gwinnett County you will at a minimum have to pay a filing fee of approximately $204.00. If the other party must be personally served with the action by the sheriff's department then a sheriff's service fee must be paid in the amount of $50.00 for each service attempt. If a private process server is used then they will charge a fee for their service.
Litigation expenses may or may not be incurred. Litigation expenses include, but are not limited to, court reporter fees, expert witness fees, copies, personal service of subpoenas, guardian ad litem fees, and the parenting seminar fee.
If your case goes to court and you want a written transcript of what is stated during a hearing or trial then you will have to have a court reporter present at the hearing or trial, and you will have to pay the court reporter a ‘take-down' fee right after the court proceeding is over. If the opposing party desires to share in the ‘take-down' then each party will pay one half of the fee. A court reporter's take down fee varies by court reporter and county, but you can anticipate paying at least $40.00 to $50.00 per hour. The court reporter will only accept cash and you will be given a receipt. The take-down fee pays for the court reporter's time in court to ‘take down' what is said during the hearing or trial. If you later decide that you do want the court reporter to prepare a written transcript of the hearing or trial then you will need to pay the court reporter an additional fee to prepare the transcript.
- Gwinnett County – filing fee – $204.00
- Barrow County – filing fee is $207.00
- Cobb County – filing fee – $218.50; the filing fee for each motion is $1.00
- Dekalb County – filing fee – $207.50, the filing fee for each motion is $1.00
- Forsyth County – filing fee – $209.50
- Fulton County – filing fee – $218.50; the filing fee for each motion is $1.00
- Hall County – filing fee -$207.50
- Walton County – filing fee – $205.00
