How much does it cost to open a divorce case?

Many couples facing divorce run into the question of how much it costs to open a divorce case, and the answer is not simple.

Opening a divorce case is not cheap, and the cost has several components. A distinction must be drawn between the fees paid to the Family Court or the Rabbinical Court, the payments to the lawyers representing the parties, and related expenses such as mediation fees, private investigators, psychologists, and other costs.

In this article we will try to answer the question of how much it costs to open a divorce case, review the fees charged by the various courts, and go over the expenses that come with the divorce process.

How much does it cost to open a divorce case – a short overview of the fees

When you open a divorce case in the Family Court, you pay court fees. When you open a case in the Rabbinical Court, you pay that court’s fees. Each has its own fee schedule.

Note: fee amounts change from time to time.

In the Rabbinical Court, a fee of hundreds of shekels is charged for each interim application in a case, such as a request for a restraining order, requests for interim orders, and more.

In situations of financial hardship, an application for exemption from the fees can be filed with the Family Court. To receive the exemption, you must prove financial hardship and attach statements of income and expenses along with bank statements. The courts tend to grant these applications when clear financial hardship is proven.

How much does it cost to open a divorce case – what about lawyer’s fees?

Attorney’s fees: what a lawyer in Tel Aviv, a lawyer in Jerusalem, or a lawyer anywhere else charges depends on the complexity of the case, the length of the proceedings, the agreements involved, affidavits requiring the attorney’s signature, issues requiring legal advice, the division of property, and more. Spouses who built up substantial assets during their life together, and now want to divide them, will pay far more for advice and courtroom representation on the property issue than spouses with few assets.

When the couple does not divorce by mutual consent, and many disputes stand between them over spousal support, child support, custody, and parenting time, they will face high costs for legal advice and representation before the courts on each disputed issue.

How much does it cost to open a divorce case – what does case handling include?

Some lawyers charge a fee at the start of the proceeding that covers all of its components: preparing the claim, the hearings, the applications concerning housing (medor) and maintenance, urgent motions, affidavits, and so on. Others charge a basic fee and then bill separately for additional actions along the way, such as filing urgent motions, obtaining various orders, and the like.

How much does it cost to open a divorce case – what other expenses come up?

Many couples turn to private mediation, a process in which they try to reach agreements before opening divorce cases in court or the rabbinical court. A typical mediation runs six to eight meetings, at an average cost of about a thousand shekels per meeting.

When one spouse is suspected of cheating on the other, a private investigator may be hired to follow the spouse, document the conduct, and present it as evidence at the hearings.

When the spouses disagree over the scope of their pension rights, an actuarial expert can be brought in. The cost of an actuarial analysis can reach thousands of shekels, and sometimes more.

If you have filed a claim for marital reconciliation, you may be referred to couples therapy, whose role is to examine whether reconciliation stands a chance or, alternatively, to recommend divorce.

Sometimes the divorce case is accompanied by psychologists, whose fees are paid separately.

When you estimate how much it costs to open a divorce case, factor in these expenses as well.

How much does it cost to open a divorce case – how can you cut the costs?

There are several ways to reduce the cost of a divorce, such as:

Divorce by consent: when the couple divorces by consent, they save considerably, on court or tribunal fees, on attorney’s fees, and on related expenses. In a divorce by consent, you sign a divorce agreement and submit it to the court for approval.

Gradual fee payment: under this arrangement you do not pay the lawyer the entire fee, or a large part of it, when proceedings begin. Instead, you pay as the divorce progresses. That way, if you reach agreements and the process ends earlier than expected, you will not find you paid a high fee for little work.

What opening a divorce case costs comes down to several factors!

The answer to the question of how much it costs to open a divorce case in Israel is built from several components: court or rabbinical court fees, attorney’s fees, and the fees of the various professionals sometimes needed along the way. The more the spouses agree on the significant issues, the lower the cost of the process.