Do I Have to Pay My Own Attorney’s Fee in My Maryland Divorce?
Without another plan in place, the responsibility to pay your lawyer’s fees defaults to you. You might get help in the form of a loan from a friend or support from your parents to pay your attorney’s fees, but ultimately, you are creating a financial obligation to pay your lawyer when you hire them.
You might be able to have your Maryland attorney’s fees covered by your former spouse when those fees are directly associated with the divorce proceedings. As your Maryland divorce lawyer will tell you, this is accomplished through two methods: pendente lite requests or on the merits. Read on to learn more about each of these.
What is a Pendente Lite Request for Attorney’s Fees in Prince George’s County, Maryland and Montgomery County, Maryland?
A pendente lite request for attorney’s fees is typically made in a pleading that is filed at the start of the your divorce. It is a request for a temporary order by the judge in order to resolve a pressing matter that cannot await a final divorce decree. You’ll need to have evidence showing that your request for an attorney’s fee award in Maryland is urgent.
What Are Attorney’s Fee Awarded on the Merits in Montgomery County, Maryland and Prince George’s County, Maryland?
If the issue of attorney’s fees is not appropriate to be addressed in the midst of the divorce, it can also come up at the conclusion of the divorce in the final order. The court looks at multiple factors in determining whether one spouse should pay for the other spouse’s attorney’s fees, including relative working and future earning potential of both spouses, any debts either party is taking from the divorce, and any assets given to either party in the division of property.
In order to be successful in making a case for the other party to pay your attorney’s fees, you’ll need to show one of two things: that there is no reasonable way you can afford your existing attorney’s fees without suffering serious financial harm or that there was such malicious conduct carried out during the divorce that this led to much higher attorney’s fees.
Am I Guaranteed a Fee Award if I Make a Request for Attorney’s Fees in Montgomery County, Maryland and Prince George’s County, Maryland?
Having the right lawyer to guide you through your divorce, including any hearings or requests for an attorney’s fees award in Maryland, is essential. Asking for an attorney’s fees award does not guarantee that you will receive it, but an experienced lawyer can help you strategize and figured how to increase the likelihood that your request will be granted.
If You Are Considering Asking for an Attorney’s Fee Award In Your Maryland Divorce, Contact an Experienced Montgomery County, Maryland or Prince George’s County, Maryland Divorce Attorney Today
If you want to know more about the award of attorney’s fees in your divorce, you should contact the Law Office of LaSheena M. Williams, LLC to discuss your options. You need the assistance of an experienced Maryland divorce attorney. Contact the Law Office of LaSheena M. Williams at (301) 778 – 9950 or schedule your consultation today.
Our firm passionately represents clients across Rockville, Bethesda, Gaithersburg, Silver Spring, Takoma Park, Chevy Chase, College Park, Cheverly, Greenbelt, Oxon Hill, Hyattsville, Upper Marlboro, Largo, Bowie and surrounding communities.
