You may be one of many Americans looking to file for a divorce and have heard of your spouse having to pay your attorney fees. This really happens in real life. The first opportunity to ask the court for your attorney fees to be paid by your spouse comes when you file your initial divorce paperwork. There is no guarantee the court will order your spouse to pay your attorney fees, but it does happen. Attorney fees are usually awarded in situations where there is a stay-at-home parent or a significant difference in income. The idea is to give both spouses the opportunity to prepare and present their case to the court.

Another situation where attorney fees are awarded is when there is a contempt claim filed after a divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or custody order. The losing party may have to pay the other party's attorney fees. Attorney fees may be awarded during discovery when one party fails to provide information and a motion to compel discovery has to be filed. Overall, there are several situations in which the court may award your attorney fees to be paid by your spouse. Speaking with an experienced divorce or family law attorney will give you an opportunity to see if the court will likely award your attorney fees to be paid by the other party. The friendly law office of Ralph A. Kerns & Associates specializes in all types of domestic cases including divorce, dissolution, legal separation, annulment, step-parent adoption, and never married custody. Through friendly service and aggressive representation we have resolved matters such as custody, visitation, parenting time, child support, and spousal support for over 27 years. Call today for a free consultation to explore your options.