Court costs

[spaceyface89]

Does anyone have any idea of court costs involved in an application for residency arrangements?

My ex threatens me with this from time to time, and given how miserly he is, I hope this is more of threat if the costs are that high

[Matilda1981]

Including solicitor fees, mediation costs, and court fees I spent around £20k!!! Ex wanted residency for our girls (which he didn't get), his costs would have been around the same as mine, that £40k could have been for the kids it really annoys me!!!

[spaceyface89]

Bloody hell! Is that standard? Is that because each legal team has their own conditions so it get very protracted? I'm guessing each time someone responds, there's another hearing, so costs spiral?

[Matilda1981]

Hiya, we had an initial hearing and then a final hearing and mediation in between!

My solicitor cost £120 an hour and I did quite a bit of the paperwork! My final hearing cost £4500 with court fees, paying for a solicitor to prepare the work and for a barrister to be there all day so it was a very expensive day!!!!

[StrongerThanIThought76]

I took my ex to court as he refused to allow me to take the kids to Spain for a fortnight's holiday. Took some advice from a solicitor but represented myself. Minimum legal fees plus standard court fees.

In court (ex was a no-show) judge agreed to holiday order and suggested Residence Order in my favour as they were living with me anyway - and that meant I didn't have to go back to court next time I wanted to travel with the kids. Gave ex 2 weeks to dispute it then I was sent it in the post.

So effectively my Residence Order was free!

I suppose it depends on if either of you are disputing residence, and that is where the crazy costs very soon begin to skyrocket.

[StrongerThanIThought76]

What is your ex threatening exactly? Mine started out demanding to stay in former marital home so that his mum could come and stay on 'his weeks' with the kids. I was to move away but still agree to keep kids in their old school on 'my weeks'. Of course it quickly became apparent that no way was that going to happen (protracted and expensive mediation and legal fees involved at this point but that was when we first started the divorce) and now he's not seen the kids for 8 months so all his threats and apparent good intentions have disappeared!

If your current status quo is that kids live with you, have their routines established from your house (school, clubs, friends etc) then it is less likely a Judge would change that too much for younger kids. Why is he threatening applying for a Residence Order?

[spaceyface89]

Thanks for advice. DS is ten months. Ex has had very little involvement throughout his life, refusing to spend time with him, do any of the things that help to establish a relationship - bath, bed, reading etc.

He broke up with me when DS was six months old, and made us leave our house. Since then I've been staying with my parents whilst I save for deposit to buy.

Ex now wants 50/50 split, on the basis that his brother in law has a 4 year old who spends half his time with each. The circumstances are completely different. For a start, I'm still breastfeeding, ex is living in shared house, and he hasn't got enough experience to look after him half the time, having minimal contact with him the last year. He knows nothing of his bedtime, how to sooth etc.

I've said I will consider overnights when DS is older and can understand what's happening and when ex has his own place, and it must be built up, not just going from 3 hours per week to overnights.

Ex makes threats about court action, and in the past few weeks the tone of his messages have changed from aggressive and bitter to very placid and reasonable sounding which I can only assume is for the benefit of any future case