Family Law Attorney Fees in Georgia

When spouses disagree on any issue, the case proceeds through a litigation process that requires preparation, discovery, hearings, and often mediation before resolution. Contested cases are billed hourly with an initial retainer.

Initial retainer: $7,500 with hourly billing subtracted from the retainer as work is performed.

When the retainer is exhausted, we discuss replenishment based on the remaining scope of the case. We do not require a replenishment commitment up front.

Total Cost Drivers

Most contested divorces in Georgia resolve in 6 to 12 months from filing to final decree. Total cost depends on:

These factors are why a “typical” contested divorce cost is not meaningful. A straightforward two-issue contested case looks nothing like a high-asset case with business valuation and a custody trial.

What Runs Up the Meter

What Keeps Costs Down

During your free consultation, we assess your specific situation and give you a realistic cost range, not a number designed to get you to sign.

Initial retainer: $7,500 with hourly billing subtracted from the retainer.

Modifications change an existing court order. The most common types are child custody modifications (which include parenting plan changes) and child support modifications. The same $7,500 retainer structure applies whether the modification is to custody, support, or both.

A modification petition requires demonstrating a material change in circumstances since the original order. Uncontested modifications with documented changes resolve faster and within the retainer. Contested modifications, particularly those involving custody disputes or Guardian ad Litem appointments, can require additional billing beyond the retainer.

We assess your modification posture during the free consultation and provide a realistic cost range before you commit.

Initial retainer: $5,000 with hourly billing subtracted from the retainer.

Contempt actions enforce existing court orders when the other party fails to comply. Common contempt actions include:

Courts can impose fines, attorney’s fee awards, wage garnishment, license suspension, and jail time for willful contempt. Significant additional work (multiple violations, evidence-heavy hearings, appeals) may require retainer replenishment.

Flat fee: $5,000.

Expedited 24-48 hour turnaround: additional $2,000.

TPO representation is offered as a flat fee because the timeline is compressed and the work is well-defined. A TPO petition is filed at the county courthouse (Fulton: 136 Pryor Street, NW, Atlanta, GS 30303; Gwinnett: Detention Center / Court Annex at 2900 University Parkway in Lawrenceville; Forsyth: 101 East Courthouse Square in Cumming), and a judge can issue an ex parte protective order the same day if the evidence shows immediate danger.

What the $5,000 flat fee covers:

We handle both TPO petitions and TPO defense (representing respondents accused of family violence). The $5,000 flat fee applies to either side.

Why TPO Work Is Flat-Fee

TPO matters have a predictable scope: same-day or next-day petition, ex parte order, full hearing within 30 days. Flat-fee pricing means safety-related representation is not delayed by retainer payment discussions, and clients understand the cost commitment up front when they are in a difficult moment.

Initial retainer: $10,000 with hourly billing subtracted from the retainer.

Legitimation establishes the legal parent-child relationship between an unmarried father and his child. Without legitimation, an unmarried father has no legal right to custody or visitation regardless of how involved he has been with the child.

The $10,000 retainer reflects that legitimation petitions are often combined with custody and visitation petitions in the same proceeding, which means the same retainer typically funds the establishment of paternity, the request for custody or visitation rights, and the parenting plan negotiation.

Simpler uncontested legitimation petitions resolve within the retainer. Contested legitimation, where the mother opposes or where custody is heavily contested, may require additional billing beyond the retainer.

Free 30-minute consultation. In person at our Johns Creek office or via Zoom.

The initial consultation is an honest conversation about your situation and your options. There is no sales pitch and no obligation to engage us afterward.

What happens in your free consultation:

If we are the right fit, we explain next steps and the engagement process. If we are not the right fit, we tell you that too. Either way, you leave the consultation knowing more than you did before.

The county where your case is filed determines your courthouse, your procedural posture, and to some extent your timeline. Tannen Law Group practices across Fulton, Gwinnett, and Forsyth counties.

Fulton County. Structured case management with 30-day, 60-day, and 120-day status conferences plus mandatory mediation and a 30-day discovery deadline. The structure produces predictable timelines but compressed deadlines that can increase preparation cost on complex cases.

Gwinnett County. Less formal scheduling with no court-imposed status conference structure and no court discovery schedule. Mediation generally occurs prior to a final hearing. The flexibility can reduce procedural cost for complex cases that need more discovery time.

Forsyth County. Mediation generally required before most hearings. Less procedural structure than Fulton. Cases resolve in similar 6 to 12 month timelines.

Most filings are handled electronically. Most hearings happen via Zoom. The vast majority of our clients do not travel to the courthouse for routine case activity, even when their case is filed in downtown Atlanta or Cumming.

Case complexity matters. A straightforward contested case with clear asset division resolves faster and at lower cost than a case with forensic accounting, business valuation, or contested custody. Discovery scope drives both timeline and fees.

Opposing counsel matters. Cases with cooperative opposing counsel resolve faster. High-conflict situations or attorneys who litigate aggressively add time and cost.

Discovery scope matters. Financial complexity, business interests, retirement accounts, stock compensation, and real estate require more discovery, often expert witnesses, and more negotiation time. See high-asset divorce for the full discussion of financial complexity in family law.

Custody disputes matter most. Contested custody cases are the most time-intensive category in family law. Guardian ad litem involvement, psychological evaluations, and extensive hearing preparation add significant cost.

During your free consultation, we assess your specific situation and give you a realistic cost range, not a number designed to get you to sign.

Divorce and family law proceedings create financial stress, and we understand that. Tannen Law Group offers payment plans for qualified clients on both flat-fee and hourly matters.

Payment plan options are discussed during the initial consultation. We also accept third-party financing through Affirm for clients who prefer to finance their legal fees through an outside lender. Payment plans depend on the case type, estimated scope, and individual circumstances.

What we commit to: no billing surprises. We track time carefully, communicate about costs proactively, and do not run up hours on tasks that do not advance your case.

Discuss Your Case. Free 30-Minute Consultation.

No billing surprises. We track time carefully, review bills before they go out, and communicate proactively when a case is running toward a threshold that will require replenishing the retainer.

Regular statements. Clients on hourly matters receive regular statements showing time billed by task against the retainer balance. You always know where you stand.

We do not run up hours. Tasks that do not advance the case do not get billed. We do not schedule unnecessary calls or draft documents that serve no purpose. Our goal is to resolve cases efficiently, which benefits both the client and the firm.

Proportionality. A contested case and an uncontested case require entirely different levels of effort. We calibrate work to what the case actually needs, not to what the billing opportunity allows.