What is the best way to save money on a divorce in california with an attorney?

i have filed and served papers on my husband. my attorney costs $300 per hour. how can i use as little os her time as possible to save money by doing things myself.





here are some ideas i have thought of: file additional paperwork by mail myself (are there any good resources for how to do this?)





hire a paralegal for everything but legal advice and representation (on average what is their hourly rate, and has anyone done this before?)





have as little contact with my lawyer as humanly possible





any other suggestions?|||don't get one.|||You can have a Legal Document Assistant (LDA) prepare your paperwork for you. LDAs are the ONLY non-attorneys who are permitted to prepare documents for consumers (meaning, anyone selling you "paralegal" services is guilty of a misdemeanor, and is NOT registered and bonded - so you have no protection or recourse if things go wrong).





It is fairly common for consumers to get advice from an attorney and then have an LDA prepare the paperwork (this is called "unbundling"). It is more common for a party to just hire an LDA, without an attorney - particularly if the matter is not contested and both parties know exactly what they want. Many divorces can be completed between $350-500, depending on assets, children, etc.|||If you come to an agreement with your soon-to-be-ex (in writing), regarding property, custody and child support and you are confident you both can stick to it, that is the easiest way to keep your legal fees to a minimum. The negotiation on those topics is what takes time, and time is money.





If your husband is already served, and you have filed with the court, then the last step (usually) is to appear before a judge and each of you present your "demands". If you have an agreement already hammered out, you can present this to the judge. If the judge accepts it, it becomes part of the order and that is that. At least for now. Depending on your state, there are a number of resources for "Do it yourself" divorce.





Good luck!