Ending a marriage is extremely stressful and one of the most difficult things you can go through. Have peace of mind using the best Divorce Lawyers in Melbourne, who understands that your situation is both emotional and exhausting. We know it is important you have someone you trust to walk you through the process to move on with your life.
Deanna Elsner, one of the best Divorce Lawyers in Melbourne, can take you through the steps and explain your rights and obligations with clarity and empathy. Deanna will provide you with a clear strategy and pathway moving forward.
There are many things to consider when a relationship breaks down including property settlements, spousal maintenance, parenting orders and dispute resolution.
Deanna Elsner offers a mediation-first service where we attempt to work out all details outside of court. This can reduce the amount of emotional and financial stress on both parties and allow you both to move on faster and hopefully more amicably.
The actual divorce is the legal end to the marriage, the dissolution, but the complexity is in agreeing upon any parenting and financial and property matters. It is advisable that these agreements are finalised before the divorce.
Divorce applications can be made by either party or jointly. You must have been separated for at least 12 months and one day and there is no reasonable likelihood of reconciliation.
If you are separated, it is greatly encouraged that you seek legal advice to protect yourself and any children involved. Deanna can assist with all matters involved in separation and divorce and offer a free initial consultation with the best divorce lawyers in Melbourne.
You can book an appointment with the best divorce lawyers in Melbourne by completing the form below.
What is the cost of a Divorce?
The answer to this question is not easy to define.
Each divorce may have different costs, determined by the way both parties feel about the settlement. If there are disputes then legal fees will increase due to hourly legal fees and possible court appearances.
Even if you were to apply for a divorce without legal help, there are costs involved to process the administration of a divorce. Below are the basic costs that need to be paid for a divorce to be official.
Application for Divorce Fee
At the time of writing, the Application for Divorce fee that is payable to process it through the courts is currently $940.00. There is also a reduced fee if you are eligible that is currently $310.00.
We will provide our clients with an approximate cost of using our services and the hourly rate/scale of costs that applies when it is appropriate.
Can a Spouse Refuse a Divorce Application?
If your spouse wishes to oppose a divorce, they must file a response to your application and serve this response to either you or your lawyer before the hearing date for your application.
Your spouse or a legal representative for them must then attend the court for your divorce proceeding. This will often delay your divorce being finalised.
There are only a few circumstances however, where a Court will refuse a divorce application, as long as it is filed and served correctly.
Such occurrences could include a dispute about which country a divorce should be heard, disagreements over the separation dates or whether you have lived separately and apart under the one roof. Such issues should usually be solved before the court hearing date however.
If there are children in the marriage, a court will often not grant a divorce unless there are proper arrangements for the children in place.
