An uncontested divorce means that there is no disagreement on any aspect of the separation (including the division of any property, custody of the children, child support, etc).  If there is any disagreement, then you need to simply hire a different attorney to file a contested divorce.  However, keep in mind that each of you will will have to pay your own attorneys, and each of those will run at least ten times the amount that it costs to hire Ryan Allison do file an uncontested divorce in Kentucky.

We charge a flat $400 to do the entire uncontested divorce from intake to the final judgment. There is also a separate mandatory filing fee of approximately $230 that the law requires for all cases.  The filing fee is paid to the Circuit Clerk’s office where we will file the divorce.  After you fill out the packet, you have the option of paying now or paying at a later date.

We do a high volume of uncontested divorces and have a great system for getting them done conveniently.  We also understand that you are going through a difficult time, and we agree with you that paying a lot of money for something that you both already agree to is unnecessary.

The $400 represents the attorney fee to do all the paperwork and get you divorced as quickly as possible. There is also a separate filing fee of $230 that is required in all divorce cases in Kentucky.  In most cases, the attorney fee and filing fee is all that you will pay.  We offer other services during the divorce, depending on your needs.  For example, if you and your spouse own a home together and you need to remove one of you from the deed through this divorce, we charge an additional $50 to do a quitclaim deed to make that happen.

Yes. The courts require a separate filing fee, which is usually $230.  If you need to get one spouse’s name off a property deed, we charge an additional $50 to do that document (called a quitclaim deed).

I can file your divorce if either you or your spouse have been a Kentucky resident for the past six months.

We don’t recommend it and have written about it HERE.  There is a stack of legal pleadings that you need to file, and each has to follow a very specific format. Also, local courts in Kentucky have their own preferred way as how the pleadings need to be filed or submitted.  Websites that offer to generate the paperwork for you rarely get it right. The price here is not much different than you pay to download generic forms from an online site.  But with us, you know you’ll be doing it right.

Our firm handles it very quickly.  Once you both have signed all of the documents, we submit the packet of legal pleadings to the court for the judge to review. The judge will grant the divorce if you qualify.  If you have children under 18, there is a law that says the parties must wait 60 days after the divorce is filed before the judge is allowed to sign the final order.  If there are no children, the judge can immediately grant the divorce.

No. Our firm handles the case and pleadings in a way that does not require either of you to go to court to give testimony to a courtroom full of people.  We do it all on paper.  You will know you are divorced when the Clerk mails you a copy of the divorce decree.

No. We file the divorces in one of 4 counties that are local to our law firm because we are very familiar with the courts’ requirements and expectations.  This is why many uncontested divorces that people file on their own fail.  Also, these counties may or may not be the country where either of your live.  Kentucky allows divorces to be filed in any county in the state, so take this into consideration when hiring our firm.

You and your spouse’s signatures need to be notarized (witnessed by a notary public who will sign at that the same time as you).  While you will sign the same documents, you and your spouse do NOT have to sign together or at the same time.  You also do not have to use the same notary.  You can sign at different times with different notaries if you want.

No.  You can sign separately and never have any contact during the entire process.

Yes. The documents can reviewed remotely over email and then the signings can be done together or separately. You can even use your own notary if that is more convenient for you or your spouse.  Please note that we cannot notarize signatures for your spouse unless you are present as well.

Yes. You can complete the entire process without leaving your house if needed.  We are able to notarize signatures remotely through the use of video conferencing. Please note that we cannot notarize signatures for your spouse unless you are present as well.

Then it is no longer an uncontested divorce.  Make sure that BEFORE you hire us that you both agree to everything.

The divorce will proceed in the same way, but there is a 60-day waiting period required under Kentucky law once we get file the signed documents.  The court cannot sign the final divorce decree until 60 days have passed.  We let you know when that date will be.

It’s easy.  Just make sure that the details of the agreement(s) are included in the packet that you fill out for us.

Yes, they can. As long as the two of you agree, the divorce will reflect it.

That’s okay.  We have several options.  We can mail the divorce documents to your spouse for signature. They can use their own notary if possible. They would need to mail the signed documents back to us.

It does not matter.  As long as he or she agrees to the divorce and is willing to sign with a notary, the court will grant the divorce.

It does not matter.  As long as he or she agrees to the divorce and is willing to sign with a notary, the court will grant the divorce.

As long as he or she agrees to the divorce and is willing to sign with a notary, the court will grant the divorce.

No. Under Kentucky law, you and your spouse need to be “separated” for 60 days for a court to grant the divorce.  “Separated” has a legal definition that is different from the the normal use of the word.  Separation means basically “no longer living together as man and wife.”  This could mean that you live separately in different homes, but it also means that you have been living together without sexual co-habitation.

Very little if none at all.  Kentucky law only requires that both parties agree that the marriage is “irretrievably broken.”  After that, only statistical information is provided to the court (dates of birth, date of marriage, date of separation, etc) to ensure that you qualify for a divorce. .

No. Kentucky is a “no-fault” state. The reasons for the divorce are irrelevant.

No. You are free to list as many or as few assets as you want.  If the two of you can informally divide assets, or if you already have done so, we can just put that in the paperwork and the court will respect your privacy.  We typically suggest listing the very important assets like houses, cars, etc.

Probably not.  Annulments are very rare under Kentucky law.  Annulments only apply to very specific situations like:

1. Mental incapacity
2. Lack of capacity to consent due to alcohol, drugs, or incapacitating substances
3. Force or duress
4. Fraud
5. Lack of consummation of the marriage

In other words, courts look to whether consent was valid or if there was some sort of fraud or misrepresentation.  The vast majority of cases do not qualify for annulments, but if you feel that the validity of the marriage is in question, please contact us today to discuss.

Yes. After you sign up with us, you can take as long paying on the fee that you need to.  We will prepare the paperwork and court pleadings after you pay the $400 fee. If you need additional time to pay the $230 filing fee, we can put the case on hold until then.  Please feel free to ask us any questions regarding this.

It does not matter. Sometimes one spouse pays the entire amount, sometimes the spouses split the costs in some way.  But it is important to note that Ryan Allison does not represent BOTH of you in this divorce.  The spouse who contacts our office will be the client.  The other spouse is entitled to review the documentation with their own attorney if he or she wishes.

Our law firm does not file contested divorces.  We only do uncontested divorces.  A contested divorce can cost EACH spouse between $3,000 and $10,000.  You may know someone who has paid much more than that. The cost of a contested divorce is why it is advisable to first explore the possibility of an uncontested divorce.  However, if an uncontested divorce is just not something that the two of you can agree on, you should contact a contested-divorce attorney as soon as possible.

We can incorporate that into the divorce while protecting the privacy and details of the prenuptial agreement.

Yes. If you provide us a copy of your currently-filed deed we will prepare for you a quitclaim deed in lieu of divorce that transfers the property into one spouse’s name. After both of you properly execute the deed, you will file it in the county in which the property is located. That quitclaim deed can then be provided to the mortgage company along with the final divorce judgment to make sure the property goes into the name of one spouse.

Yes.  Each party is always free to petition the court to make any changes (child support, child custody, etc.).

Each party is always free to petition the court to make any changes (child support, child custody, etc) or to enforce any agreements from the divorce.

Yes. Call our office at 859-498-1283 and simply say that you would like a divorce packet mailed to you.