loan to pay divorce solicitor

Bossyboots

What you have to remember about legal aid (or maybe you don't know) is that the hourly rate your solicitor gets paid is a fraction of what you will pay at private rates. It can be as much as 2/3 cheaper so even though you have to pay the costs in the end, you will get far more work for your money. Also, you can have the costs put as a charge on your property so it wouldn't be payable immediately.

Also, the money you had at the start would have been finances considered as part of the settlement and therefore deemed "property in dispute" so do not count towards your legal aid calculation. Your house is also exempt up to £100,000 equity.

Your solicitor is not allowed to charge you privately if you are entitled to legal aid.

I do legal aid calculations every day. If you want me to do yours, I will pm you with the info needed. There is a new rule in place that if your monthly contribution would be more than £70 you have to attempt to get a loan and will need to provide written proof of rejection but the first step is to get the initial calculation done.

Be wary of the CAB, they actually know very little about how the legal aid system works and they cannot implement it.

44pinkpink

The advice i've received form this website today has been amazing. Thankyou for your advice . One thing i have found in all this that i've not been able to find all the advice i need in one place. Also well-meaning friends and family etc give me conflicting advice. And in amongst it all i'm confused!! The one thing i find difficult is the transition from being very comfortable financially to being very suddenly poor!! And all this legal stuff is completely new to me....so much of it seems unneccessary and old-fashioned.
so any advice about legal aid is welcome from you
please

hex2

I strongly recommend getting the Which Guide to Divorce - you can read up on things and know what questions to ask without being charged for every three minutes. It is really clear and costs about £10.

44pinkpink

Thanx, will do that too

Bossyboots

There are also downloadable leaflets on the Court Service website which are free.

I have sent you a pm pinkpink.

44pinkpink

thanx once again


pp

canny_yorkshireman_2

hi ya pinkpink cannot see why you would noy qualify for legal aid as it is calcalated on your income against outgoings so if you are only part time then I suspect you would easily get it. Also worth trying to get costs awarded in court as thie would save you a few quid if you win. I know it can be so stressfull in your situation but there is a wealth of people on here that can pass on good advice and tips all you need do is ask best of luck girl.

jobbingmusician

I just thought a tale a friend told me might help.

She was getting a divorce from her hubby, who was a barrister. He appointed a QC (friend) to fight his side (at one point he apparently said that he would rather his kids were unhappy than let her have them) so she had to appoint a QC too, at vast expense.

Apparently he told the divorce court that he was skint, and had only earnt a pittance in the year 19xx to xx. Somehow my friend and her QC managed to obtain his bank statements and the 'good' QC then smoothly asked 'What about this £80,000 payment into your account just after the end of that financial year?'

The Law Society (or whoever it is) apparently takes a VERY dim view of carrying money over like this. He lost his case and had to make her VERY generous maintainance payments

So chin up - it can be done! :j :beer:

jockettuk

i got divorced a few yrs ago and as i had a half share in our property i couldnt get legal aid i got public funding which means that my bill is paid when my house is sold.. it also means as a previous poster has said that the solicitors fees are not as big as if he did it privatley.. so my bill came to £700 whilst ex's was much bigger. i also found that my solicitor had the funding at his hands to carry out anything i asked him to do and that way he can find out a lot more abt the ex than you think he can..

44pinkpink

oooh why didn't i discover you lovely people months ago - i wouldn't have cracked up then! all the people i have around me are great but are too close really..so often give me the advice i want to hear rather than what i need. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx