Legal costs and timelines, in plain numbers. Not a law firm.
Family law, in numbers
Divorce, explained with real numbers.
Every figure sourced and dated. Updated 2026-08-31.
The single most searched question in family law is cost, and most answers dodge it. Here it is with sources: the average total paid to a divorce lawyer is $11,300, at national average hourly rates of $270 to $313. But that average hides the split that actually decides your bill.
The contested / uncontested split is the whole story
An uncontested divorce, where both spouses agree on terms, typically runs $500 to $3,500 from start to finish including filing fees, and takes 2 to 6 months. A contested divorce typically costs $15,000 to $50,000 per spouse and takes 12 to 24 months. The most expensive sentence in family law is "we will let the court decide."
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Sources for every figure on this page
$11,300: Divorce.com 2026 cost guide: average total divorce lawyer cost (published estimate, retrieved 2026-08-31).
$270 to $313: AI Lawyer 2026 divorce fee survey: national average hourly rate band (published estimate, retrieved 2026-08-31).
$500 to $3,500: Divorce.com 2026: uncontested divorce, start to finish incl. filing fees (published estimate, retrieved 2026-08-31).
$15,000 to $50,000: BestLawyers contested-vs-uncontested 2026 comparison: contested cost per spouse (published estimate, retrieved 2026-08-31).
12 to 24 months: JP Sherman Law 2026: typical contested divorce timeline (published estimate, retrieved 2026-08-31).
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