If an IRA, 401K, auto, or pension or any other asset is acquired during the marriage, both parties have an interest in that asset even though title to it is held by only one spouse. Please see the section of this web page dealing with Marital and non-Marital property. These questions must be answered together because it is the facts of a case, and its happenings, as they unfold, that will ultimately determine how long a case will take and how much the legal fees will be. Except in very rare instances, it is next to impossible for an attorney to be exact when he or she provides a fee quote at the beginning of a case. The initial office conference really gives the attorney only a general idea of how much legal work will be needed.
Every case is different and the personality and emotional makeup of every spouse is also different.
Some cases settle quicker than other cases and some have to go trial. Often, we cannot tell which way a case will go until some time has passed. Each case has a life of its own and many factors can come into play which will determine how long a case will take and how much it will cost. The value of a lawyer's services is determined by the client and not by the lawyer. Surveys show that clients hope to receive prompt legal services at a reasonable price from an attorney who cares about their cause.