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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    usa
    Posts
    2

    Default Financing A Divorce And Child Custody Case

    If possible could someone help me out with these questions.

    How much does the average divorce and child custody case cost in Michigan? It's very unlikely that my wife will be able to afford a lawyer, so should I avoid the expense of getting one since I do not have that much money to spend either?

    Do you always need a lawyer or can you file for the divorce and child custody on your own?

    How great are the chances of a father getting full physical or 50/50 custody of two boys aged 8 and 5?


    If i were to get full or 50/50 custody would I have to pay child support or alimony? Also because my wife works would she be entitled to part of my 501 K. We're both the same age and have been married for 10 yrs.

    Finally, siince we've been married I have taken care of all household bills, and mortgage, while my wife spends her money recklessly. Will that make it easier for me to retain the marital home?

    Thank you

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Florida
    Posts
    2,773

    Default Re: Financing A Divorce And Child Custody Case

    Quote Quoting dadbb
    View Post
    If possible could someone help me out with these questions.

    How much does the average divorce and child custody case cost in Michigan? It's very unlikely that my wife will be able to afford a lawyer, so should I avoid the expense of getting one since I do not have that much money to spend either?

    Do you always need a lawyer or can you file for the divorce and child custody on your own?

    How great are the chances of a father getting full physical or 50/50 custody of two boys aged 8 and 5?


    If i were to get full or 50/50 custody would I have to pay child support or alimony? Also because my wife works would she be entitled to part of my 501 K. We're both the same age and have been married for 10 yrs.

    Finally, siince we've been married I have taken care of all household bills, and mortgage, while my wife spends her money recklessly. Will that make it easier for me to retain the marital home?

    Thank you
    No one on in internet forum can accurately answer your questions, sorry.

    The best thing to do is to get a consult with a local family law attorney. That will give you a good idea of what it might cost.

    If you decide that you cannot afford, or do not want to hire an attorney, the law does allow people to file on thier own- pro-se. If that is what you choose, you'll need to read up on your state's family laws.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Behind a Desk
    Posts
    98,846

    Default Re: Financing A Divorce And Child Custody Case

    No one off of an Internet forum can answer those questions, at least in a meaningful way. There's no database of "how much people have paid their laywers" from which to derive averages, and even if there were it would mean nothing. There are people who resolve their custody disputes amicably, with lawyer time limited to drafting the consent judgment, while others spend tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars battling over every detail of custody, support and visitation.

    Custody determinations are fact-specific, so the odds of victory in any given case depend upon a detailed analysis of the facts of the case. Child support is dependent upon relative income, and it is possible that a parent could have equally shared custody yet still have to pay child support.

    Spousal support and division of retirement accounts are separate from child support determinations. As, for that matter, is the division of the marital estate.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Iowa
    Posts
    3

    Default Re: Financing A Divorce And Child Custody Case

    I'm in the process of divorce, too, and I don't think it's possible for anybody to know all the answers. Sometimes I suspect the lawyers want to keep the answers to themselves so they're the ones pulling the strings. A book called _Nolo's Essential Guide to Divorce_ is very helpful in understanding the divorce process.

    From what I understand, in my state - Iowa -, if one partner requests shared physical custody, it will be considered (unless there is a history of abuse or criminal behavior). My attorney told me that in my county, that's what the judges tend to go with. They see it as somehow being more "equal" to have the kids juggled from home to home, although I think there are valid arguments against it if the children are babies/toddlers. The big variable, of course, is what distance the partners live from each other so that exchanging the children is possible on a regular basis.

    In Iowa, if you have child(ren), I think you are required to have an attorney involved. It's only those divorces that are simple that can be done without a lawyer. Maybe there is a web site that gives an overview of Michigan family law...?

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