Divorced Parents Are More Likely To Settle Out of Court When Represented By An Attorney, A New Study Shows
A new study shows that divorced parents are more likely to settle their custody cases out of court when both parents are represented by attorneys. Moreover, when both parents have an attorney, they are more likely to share joint custody, also known as “shared parental responsibility” in Florida.
The new study by Custody X Change has debunked the myth that divorce attorneys encourage their clients to fight in court. The online platform surveyed recently divorced parents and compared custody outcomes in cases involving:
- Two parents being represented by attorneys
- One parent being represented by an attorney
- Neither parent being represented by an attorney
The survey showed that parents who hired attorneys were more likely to settle out of court and end up with joint custody rights. If you are considering a divorce involving children, contact our attorneys at Donna Hung Law Group to discuss your particular case. Our Orlando divorce lawyers will help you settle your divorce case out of court and help you fight for the best possible outcome in your custody battle.
Over 86% of Divorce Cases with Two Attorneys Result in an Out-of-Court Settlement
Custody X Change interviewed over 1,000 American adults who finalized their divorce involving children in the past 24 months. The study concluded that when both parents are represented by attorneys, they are more likely to reach a joint custody agreement out of court rather than go to trial.
It is fair to point out that both parents having attorneys on their side increased the cost of divorce. The average cost of a divorce involving child custody issues reached $18,000 when both parents were represented by attorneys. In cases where only one parent had an attorney, the average cost of divorce was $8,000.
However, the higher cost of divorce with an attorney comes with benefits. According to the survey, over 86% of all divorce cases where both parents had attorneys ended with an out-of-court settlement. For the sake of comparison, 63% of the divorce cases with only one attorney led to a settlement.
The study also showed that divorce cases are more likely to result in joint custody when both parents are represented by attorneys (82%). Cases where only one parent is represented by an attorney end in a joint custody arrangement about 70% of the time.
Divorce Parents Are More Satisfied with the Case Outcome When They Have an Attorney
Interestingly, the study also showed that parents were more satisfied with the outcome of their divorce and custody cases when represented by attorneys. According to the survey, 74% of the respondents were extremely or moderately satisfied with the outcome when both parents had attorneys.
By contrast, only 59% of the respondents who did not have an attorney were satisfied with the outcome of their divorce case. Divorced parents with legal representation were also able to finalize their divorce cases faster than those without an attorney. Cases involving only one divorce attorney took a year, on average, to finalize compared to seven months for divorce cases with two lawyers.
As you can see, you can greatly benefit from being represented by a divorce attorney. When you hire an attorney for your divorce and custody cases, you are more likely to settle your case out of court, finalize your divorce case as soon as possible, and reach a joint custody arrangement.
Get a case review with our divorce attorneys at Donna Hung Law Group to discuss your situation. Call 407-999-0099 to find out whether or not you can benefit from hiring a divorce attorney in your specific case.
Resource:
custodyxchange.com/topics/research/divorce-custody-statistics-2021.php
