COST COMPARISON

Litigation is never cheap.  The actual cost will vary depending upon the complexity of the case, the level of conflict, and your attorney’s level of expertise.  The cost is also dependent upon where you live.  In California the average litigated divorce costs approximately $45,000 per spouse.  In Chicago the average range is between $18,000 and $25,000 per spouse with much higher price tag reaching upwards of $45,000 in complex custody or asset dispute cases.  No matter where you live, mediation is substantially more cost-effective than litigation, and it yields far greater results for all involved.

Litigation expenses include attorney fees, discovery, research, motions, attorney-attorney conferences, witness preparation, depositions, interrogations, subpoenas, trials, appeals, and time waiting outside court rooms to name a few. The costs of, and time spent in mediation are negligible in comparison. 

The total cost of settling a divorce through mediation is typically between 1/4th and 1/10th the cost of litigation, including the cost of consulting attorneys and other experts where necessary.  One could conceivable spend less on their entire divorce using mediation than they would spend on one single day of a trial.  To top it off, you and your spouse split the cost of mediation. 

Mediation is significantly cheaper.
Mediation moves at your pace.
Mediation leaves YOU in control.
Mediation preserves relationships.
Mediation reduces conflict post-divorce.
Mediation is better.