The Most Expensive Cities for Divorcees in the United States

The Business Insider has compiled a list of the 9 most costly cities for divorcees. The list considered each city's average fee rate for divorce attorneys in addition to the financial impact of each state's different spousal support laws, asset division procedures, filing fees, and average divorce process periods:

1. Los Angeles: Has attorney fees averaging $350 an hour, a filing fee just under $400, and generally divides a couple's earnings down the middle.
2. Newark: Has attorney fees averaging $343 an hour, an average divorce process period of 18 months, and "archaic" spousal support laws.
3. New York: Has attorney fees averaging $342 an hour.
4. San Francisco: Has attorney fees averaging $339 an hour and a high state filing fee of $395.
5. Miami: Has attorney fees averaging $332 an hour in addition to the highest state filing fee at $409.
6. Vegas: Has attorney fees averaging $309 an hour and exerts community property law to divide assets, but has one of the quickest processing times in the nation.
7. San Diego: Has attorney fees averaging $300 an hour, causing nearly 80 percent of divorcees opting for self-representation, in addition to a high state filing fee of $395.
8. Philadelphia: Has attorney fees averaging $297 an hour with an average state divorce process period of three year in some cities.
9. Dallas: Has attorney fees averaging $291 an hour, strict state spousal support limitations, and often divides property rather than cash.

Cindy Pham is a third year law student at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and contributes to IAALS Online. Please direct inquiries about this post to iaals@du.edu.