Family lawyers can help Maryland families with several complex legal issues, including child custody, divorce, prenuptial agreements, and more. How much a family lawyer will cost you depends on many factors involving your case and attorney. You always want to discuss fee structures with a potential attorney before you hire them. It’s never good to enter a case with an attorney and lose their guidance before it’s finished.
A family attorney covers several types of family law cases, including:
Family law is a broad category of law, and some attorneys focus on divorce or child custody law. It’s important to work with an attorney who has experience in the type of case you are involved in. The more experience an attorney has with cases like yours, the better they will understand common pitfalls and the most effective way to handle your case.
Many aspects of your unique circumstances, and an attorney’s location and past success, impact an attorney’s fees. Factors include:
Before you begin to work with an attorney, it’s important to determine how they charge for their services.
The average fee in Maryland for family attorneys is $305 an hour. The exact amount will depend on the above factors. An attorney who charges an hourly rate may also charge a retainer fee, which is made in advance and covers a certain number of hours of representation. Once the retainer fee has been used to pay hourly fees and other costs, the hourly rate applies.
A contingency fee basis means the client won’t be charged an hourly rate. They don’t owe their attorney any out-of-pocket costs. Instead, the attorney will take a percentage of the compensation awarded to the client at the end of the case.
In Maryland, the standard percentage is about one-third if a settlement is reached. If a settlement is not reached, and your attorney represents you in trial and wins you compensation, the percentage increases. If they don’t win the case for their client, they don’t receive payment. Although you won’t owe your attorney anything, you may still need to pay filing costs, witness costs, and discovery costs. Contingency fees are often more common in workers’ compensation or personal injury cases.
In simple family law matters, an attorney may charge a flat fee. This type of charge is common in cases like bankruptcy, minor criminal cases, simple wills, or uncontested divorces.
A more complex family law case is more expensive. An hourly rate is likely to be higher, and the case will take longer, adding to the amount. Contributing factors for a more complex case include:
Paying for an attorney is not the only expense in a family law case. Other fees include:
These expenses are important to understand when determining the overall cost of your family law case.
The average hourly cost of a family lawyer is $305 in Maryland. This depends on the attorney’s location and experience, as well as how difficult your case is expected to be. If your case is simple, costs may be relatively low. A case that takes a long time, requires several services, or goes to trial will be significantly more expensive. The hourly rate is likely to be higher, and you will need more of your attorney’s time.
A child custody attorney costs anywhere from $300 to $400 an hour on average in the U.S. Costs can range higher or lower depending on:
The initial filing fee for a Complaint for Custody in Maryland is $165.
Attorney costs in Maryland range most often from $60 to $600 an hour. The more experience an attorney has, the higher their hourly rate will be. An attorney who is experienced in a highly specific field of law will also charge a higher rate. A professional attorney with many years of experience in a highly specific field could charge thousands per hour.
Maryland judges look primarily at the interests of the child or children in determining custody. A judge may decide the interests of a child depending on the fitness of each parent and their willingness to work together in the child’s interest. They may also look at the child’s wishes, the health of each parent, and the wishes of each parent.
When you need experienced legal representation and support, contact the Law Offices of Todd K. Mohink, PA, for help with your family law case.
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