North Carolina Attorney Fees FAQ's

1) How are attorneys' fees calculated?
The exact fee will vary with the services you require. A typical domestic case requires many services, including conferences, obtaining information from you and your spouse concerning your assets, liabilities, income and expenses, and making recommendations concerning property division and support; settlement negotiations with your spouse's attorney; the preparation or review of a property settlement and support agreement; the preparation and filing of pleadings (or the review of the pleadings filed by your spouse); the preparation of an acceptance of service for your spouse or arranging for the sheriff to serve your spouse with a copy of the complaint; preparation or review of court orders and attending one or more court hearings.

If a trial is necessary, the court has the authority to order one spouse to pay the other's attorney fees in alimony, child support and child custody matters. The amount awarded by the court will rarely pay the full amount of the attorney's fees.

2) How much are court costs?
Court costs are approximately $55 if the case is totally uncontested. If there are depositions or psychological investigations, $1,000 is not unusual.