Legal Question in Family Law in California

The current filing fee (meaning what you pay the court clerk) for a petition of dissolution in California is $435.00.

That's like saying, "how much does a boat cost?" If you have been married less than ten years, have no significant assets or debts, both work and make modest incomes, and no kids, you can do it yourself with the help of a good book and the Family Law Facilitator (or Family Law Self Help office depending on what your local court calls it) for the cost of the book and a few hundred dollars in filing fees (waived if you make less than a certain amount). If you're Bono and want to divorce Ali Hewson, or Melinda Gates and you're tired of Bill, the attorneys fees can easily reach significant six figures. For the average couple with a long term marriage and kids, it depends on how much you want to fight about things. A generally cooperative process with a few disagreements and a couple of hearings can be done for between $5,000 and $10,000, less if you are super cooperative. If you want to go to court over every significant issue, $10,000 to $25,000 would be a ball park, If one spouse is playing games trying to hide assets, or you turn the kids into the battle ground and go through numerous court hearings and evaluations, and multiple rounds of discovery and investigations, your net worth is pretty much the limit.