A judge may order a spouse to pay for the fees and to incur debt in order to pay the amount, including loans against 401(k) accounts and loans against secured nonliquid properties.
In 90% of divorce cases in the UK, it will be the person initiating the divorce proceedings (Applicant), who pays the legal fees and court fees. Of course, couples can come to an amicable agreement between themselves regarding the divorce costs.
the petitionerIt is the responsibility of the petitioner to pay the costs when they initially file for divorce. However, the petitioner can ask the respondent to pay for some or all the costs in certain circumstances.
If you are the one who is being divorced (the “respondent”), the Court might order you to pay the legal fees of both sides. This is unjust, but it is based on the old court principles that if you can prove your case before them, then you will also get your costs.
Both spouses should continue to pay any household bills they were paying prior to their decision to separate. If regular bills are not paid during this period, this can lead to either or both parties receiving County Court Judgments (CCJs), which can make it harder to obtain credit in the future.
petitionerFAQ: Who pays the legal fees in a court settlement? The party that applies for divorce is known as the 'petitioner'. The remaining party is known as the 'respondent'. Typically, both the petitioner and the respondent are required to pay their own legal fees.
There's a £593 fee to apply for a divorce. The way you pay depends on how you apply. Your fee will not be refunded after you are sent the notice that your divorce application has been issued.
Did you know 99% of divorce cases in England and Wales are uncontested, according to Co-op legal services. If you are the one seeking the divorce then you are the petitioner and will pay £450 to £950 in solicitor's fees and £550 in a divorce centre fee – making a total of £1,000 to £1,500.