The Average Price for Divorce in North Carolina
- In North Carolina, uncontested divorces range from $115 to $300. To file an uncontested divorce, the couple must be residents of North Carolina for six months, and be separated for one year. The Wake County General Court of Justice states that an uncontested divorce proceeding does not "address any other domestic situation and does not address child support, custody, distribution of property or spousal support."
- In North Carolina, divorces requiring court involvement range from $8,187 to $132,600. On average, divorce lawyers charge $100 to $450 per hour and accountants range from $125 to $350 per hour. Most divorce proceedings consist of five stages, from pleadings to trails, and take up to three weeks to complete. The length of the divorce procedure largely depends on the ability of the couple to negotiate custody, finances and property issues.
- To minimize divorce costs, the North Carolina Office of the Chief District Court Judge offers free mediation services. Mediators help couples negotiate custody and financial issues before they enter court, which reduces lawyer and accountant fees. North Carolina mediator Sam Margulies states that the average cost for a mediated divorce is less than $5,000.