The 9 Most Expensive Cities For Divorcees

The rate of couples backpedaling down the aisle in the U.S. is growing so quickly, states across the map are searching for new ways to ease the process for consumers.

Even with a rise in do-it-yourself divorce cases, the  average divorce still costs about $20,000. And not all states – or even cities – are created equally when it comes to legal fees.

We tapped AttorneyFee.com, a new legal fee-tracking site, for help compiling the average rate for divorce attorneys in cities across the country. 

Using their data and insight gleaned from a host of family law experts, we've put together a list of nine cities where calling it quits will cost you the most. 

9. Dallas

Average: $291/hr

Fees are so high in the Lone Star state that in 2010, the state's Supreme Court created a task force to handle consumers looking to file without legal assistance.

There's also a reason celebrities like Sandra Bullock filed for divorce there. It's one of the least friendly states in the spousal support arena and tends to divvy up property rather than cash.

"They still won't order (alimony) unless it's a marriage of 10 years," says Spencer Williams of Cordell and Cordell, P.C. "Then they max it out at $5,000 (per month)." 

8. Philadelphia

Average: $297/hr

The real cost associated with divorce trials has much to do with how long the state takes to process cases. If you ask Williams, that makes Pennsylvania one of the worst in the country, with average process periods of three years in some cities. 

"I would not want to get divorced in Pennsylvania, to put it that way," he says. "That's a real burden both emotionally and financially.

7. San Diego

Average: $300/hr

Fees are so high in California that nearly 80 percent of individuals filing for dissolution of marriage in San Diego opt to skip lawyers altogether, according to family law attorney Michele Sacks Lowenstein. 

"It's a huge problem (because) they don't know what they're doing in court," she says. "Ultimately, divorce is just another civil case. It'd be like representing yourself in a car accident. Would you really know what to do?"  

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