Role and Cost of a St Petersburg Divorce Lawyer
Advice you need now from The Coleman Law Group

The Coleman Law Group can assist you with caring and aggressive representation in matters of divorce and spousal desertion. We are experts in situations involving child custody and support, as well as abuse. Call us today for a free consultation at 727-214-0400.

The cost of hiring a St. Petersburg divorce lawyer will depend on many factors including whether you opt for an annulment of a marriage or divorce. In Florida it is possible to get a civil annulment. If you are located in Tampa Bay or surrounding areas in Pinellas County, an experienced St. Petersburg divorce lawyer can assist you in getting your marriage annulled. There are many attorneys in Pinellas County but when it comes to divorce your best option is to hire someone who focuses on divorce matters. Divorce law is complex and only lawyers who concentrate on divorce laws understand the complex maze of divorce laws in Florida.

Annulment

A St. Petersburg divorce lawyer will generally charge you less for an annulment of marriage. Most people choose annulment over divorce because of religious reasons. Generally most annulments take place immediately after the marriage. However there are cases where spouses have sought annulment after many years of marriage.

With the help of an experienced St. Petersburg divorce lawyer you can apply and successfully get your marriage annulled on the following grounds:

• Fraud or misrepresentation: Certain facts which if known to you would have prevented you from entering in to the marriage were not disclosed to you or your spouse lied about such facts.
• Non-consummation of the marriage: You spouse is physically incapable of having sexual intercourse and you were unaware of this fact at the time of marriage.
• Incest, bigamy, or underage party: You are related to your spouse by blood or your spouse is married to someone else. You can also get an annulment if you or your spouse is under the age of consent and didn't receive a parent's approval.
• Unsound mind: You or your spouse did not have the mental ability to understand what was happening at the time of the marriage due to drug or alcohol use.
• Force: You were compelled to get married to your spouse by force.

Divorce

Divorce differs from annulment of marriage. In Florida divorce is referred to as dissolution of marriage. All divorce cases have to go through some kind of court proceeding. An experienced St. Petersburg divorce lawyer can assist you get a divorce in Florida. The fees of a St. Petersburg divorce lawyer for a divorce proceeding will depend on many factors including whether the divorce is uncontested or contested. The cost of an uncontested divorce will be less than a contested divorce. In an uncontested divorce both spouses agree on all issues of the divorce including asset distribution, child custody, child support, alimony and resolution of future disputes.

The attorney will assist you and your spouse by preparing the marital settlement agreement which is the most important document in an uncontested divorce. The martial settlement agreement must not contain any clause that violates any law. The law of the land is ever changing and only experienced attorneys are aware of the changes. Hence even if your divorce is an uncontested divorce, you should hire the services of an experienced divorce lawyer. Remember merely preparing the marital settlement agreement is not sufficient. Your case must be presented to a judge and the judge must grant you a divorce. An experienced Florida divorce attorney can assist you with the entire process if you are located in the Tampa area of Florida. If your divorce is contested then the attorney fees will increase.

The attorney will have to argue your case for child custody, child support and alimony - all of which will be strongly contested by your spouse. It can take many hearings for the court to reach a decision. There is no way to put an exact figure on the cost of a contested divorce. If the divorce proceedings go on for a long period time, then the cost will also increase. The attorney fees will either be a fixed fee or an hourly fee. If it is a contested divorce, then the attorney is most likely to charge you an hourly fee. An experienced St. Petersburg divorce lawyer can also assist you with a collaborative divorce. In a collaborative divorce, your attorney will work with your spouse's attorney to reach an amicable settlement on the various issues of divorce and then file a divorce petition. There is no trial or arguments in a collaborative divorce.

Role of A Qulaified St. Petersburg Divorce Lawyer

Besides filing the paper work and presenting your case to the court, the attorney has other important roles. An experienced St. Petersburg or Clearwater divorce lawyer will review the facts of your case and let you know if you meet the residency requirements for filing for divorce in Florida. He or she will also explain to you the tax implications of a divorce and assist you navigate the tax consequences of a divorce.

Phone The Coleman Law Group Today at 727-214-0400