As well-seasoned divorce lawyers, we created a series of blogs for those of you thinking of divorce in Arkansas. For information about Lion Legal’s Family & Domestic Law services, click here. We also answer several of your most common questions on our FAQ page.
How long does it take to get a divorce in Arkansas?
Divorces are like cars—you can buy a clunker on Craigslist for barely anything or you can buy an Escalade for $70,000! It’s a silly analogy, but a true one. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all divorce, no matter what you wish or think from reading blogs like this one.
Uncontested divorces
A truly uncontested divorce wouldn’t involve children, real property, or personal property division—and is usually resolved very quickly. This is a rare unicorn. Almost always, there is something that complicates a divorce and requires legal guidance and advice.
Legally, a divorce is takes at least one month. The law requires that 30 days pass between the day of filing and the entry of the divorce decree. If everyone is agreeable, then a divorce can be completed, realistically, within about 45-60 days.
Thirty days may be possible, but it’s doubtful. Some things are simply out of our control. For example, the court assigns a judge who will put the case on the docket—and/or sign the decree—when he or she has time.
More complicated divorces
A complex divorce can take 12-18 months. Complications such as custody, support, financial issues, or even disagreements over who gets the cat or dog can draw out the process.
Most divorces that we handle take between 90-120 days. That estimate takes into account the negotiation process, delays in getting signatures, and the length of time it takes to get service.
But how much does a divorce cost in Arkansas?
Cost, like length, is relative to the issues we are arguing over. Can you get a divorce for just your filing fee? Absolutely! The forms are free online and you can do it. The trick is knowing what to put in all those blanks!
If your divorce is relatively uncontested—you and your spouse are in agreement with no financial, custody, or support issues—then you don’t really need a lawyer. However, our legal knowledge and experience enables us to guide you through the divorce process and write your divorce degree correctly. Our goal is to prevent you from ever having to come back and revisit the divorce decree, which can be painful, disappointing, and potentially more expensive.
Over fifty percent of the divorces we handle cost around $2000, which is paid over 90-120 days. That’s about the amount of time it usually takes to resolve a divorce.
We don’t like traditional retainer fees
The traditional legal retainer model of taking a sum of money from the client and billing against it by the hour is really terrible for the client! There’s no accountability on the lawyer—and most clients are familiar with how long it actually takes, so seeing a timesheet doesn’t really make them feel better.
We developed a staged billing system for handling divorces. For simple cases, we provide the service you need when you need it, for a known cost—and we don’t provide or charge you for services you don’t need or want. For more complex cases, we bill by the hour.
Payment plans—no interest, no late fees
We know that legal issues don’t always fit into your forecasted budget. That’s why we offer payment plans—with no interest, late fees or credit card acceptance fees. Your peace of mind is worth doing it right, and we do it right affordably.
Lion Legal is dedicated to applying reasonableness and practicality to all our cases. Read more about our fees and billing policies here. Being reasonable and practical keeps costs and stress down for clients and speeds the process up tremendously.
Call for a free evaluation
Case evaluations are completely free and our fees are affordable. Call Lion Legal today at (501) 227-ROAR or Email Us to ensure the decisions you make now will last far beyond your divorce decree.