Divorce does not have to be a complicated process. It is almost always in the best interest of my clients to seek out an efficient, uncomplicated, and stress-free uncontested divorce. Colonna Law Firm, LLC believes in helping our clients who do the right thing by keeping things uncontested, so we offer a “cheap divorce” rate.
Louisiana Divorce Basics
Louisiana offers two avenues to be divorced and both are based on time. If there are no minor children, typically the parties need to be separated for 180 days to gain a simple divorce. If the marriage produced minor children, the parties need to be separated for a full year. If you want a divorce and you have not been separated for the full amount of time, you can still begin the process, even with a cheap divorce with a divorce under Louisiana Civil Code Article 102. If you wait the full time, you can start the divorce under Civil Code Article 103.
Quick Summary: Cheap Divorce
- A “cheap” divorce in Louisiana isn’t a discounted service — it’s an uncontested divorce, meaning both spouses agree on the divorce.
- Divorce in Louisiana is typically based on time separated, with a 180-day requirement if the marriage has no minor children and a 365-day requirement if there are minor children.
- Louisiana’s uncontested divorce law is governed by Civil Code Articles 102 and 103. Article 102 permits you to file first then wait the applicable period of time, while Article 103 is for persons who want to file after already being apart the required time.
- If the divorce is disputed, the case is no longer uncontested and costs rise accordingly.
- If the parties agree on If custody, property, and/or support, it is possible for an extra fee to be charged to complete these processes as part of the cheap divorce.
Is a Cheap Divorce the Same as an Uncontested Divorce?
Yes, the “cheap divorce” term is one I came up with years ago when I found out how much regular family law firms in Lake Charles were charging customers. I didn’t coin the term to do more in order to make more money; I wanted to get more clients so they stopped paying too much at other family law firms.
These are relatively simple proceedings and the participants are doing things the right way, by settling their differences instead of fighting. I usually joke with my cheap divorce clients that the only people who win, when clients fight are the lawyers. I do these divorces to help clients and to keep them from wasting their money by firms who are willing to rip them off.
How I Keep Your Uncontested Divorce Cheap and Simple
To keep your expenses as low as possible and ensure the process runs smoothly, my firm systematically eliminates the hidden costs that out-of-town agencies or slow-moving firms routinely tack on:
- Eliminating the Sheriff’s Service: In a contested divorce, a sheriff’s deputy must physically locate and hand-serve your spouse with papers at their home or workplace, costing extra money and causing public embarrassment (and conflict). In my uncontested divorces, I try to prepare a custom Waiver of Service and Citation. Your spouse signs this in front of a notary, completely bypassing the sheriff’s fee and keeping the process entirely private.
- Eliminating the Need for Court Appearances: You should not have to miss work, pay for parking, and sit in a crowded courtroom at 1001 Ryan Street just to have a judge sign an agreed-upon piece of paper. I draft your uncontested paperwork with skill and precision, so that I can submit your final judgment to the judge via written joint affidavits. The judge signs the order in chambers, and the Clerk of Court mails us the certified copy. None of us have to set foot in court.
- Avoiding the DIY Legal Traps: Many couples try to use cheap, generic online divorce websites. These templates almost always fail to meet the strict local rules of the 14th JDC, leading to rejected filings, lost court costs, and massive delays. These online forms, along with the filing fees, cost almost as much as paying me to do your cheap divorce. When you hire me for a cheap divorce, I personally draft every document to ensure it is custom-tailored to Calcasieu Parish standards on day one.
Louisiana Has Different Types of Divorce
Louisiana divorce is not just one form. The type of divorce matters.
The two most common divorce paths are usually called Article 102 divorce and Article 103 divorce.
Article 102 Divorce
An Article 102 divorce is often used when the spouses have not yet lived separate and apart for the required time before filing. One spouse files the petition first, then the parties must live separate and apart continuously for the required period before the divorce can be finalized by rule to show cause. Louisiana Civil Code article 102 says the divorce may be granted after proof that the required time has elapsed from service or waiver and that the spouses lived separate and apart continuously for the required time before filing the rule to show cause.
In plain English: you file first, wait the required time, then finish the divorce later.
That process creates places where people make mistakes. They may file the petition but never finish the divorce. They may misunderstand the separation period. They may reconcile and not realize what that does to the case. They may think they are divorced when they are not.
Article 103 Divorce
An Article 103 divorce is often used when the spouses have already lived separate and apart for the required time before the petition is filed. Article 103 also includes other fault-based grounds, including adultery, felony conviction with sentence to death or imprisonment at hard labor, abuse, and certain protective-order situations.
In plain English: you may be able to file and finish the divorce faster if the required separation period already happened before filing.
The waiting period depends on whether there are minor children of the marriage. Under Article 103.1, the period is 180 days when there are no minor children and 365 days when there are minor children at the relevant time.
This is one reason why generic online divorce paperwork doesn’t work. It often ignores Louisiana’s specific 102/103 structure.
Can’t I File a Simple Divorce Myself?
Yes you can, and if you can do it properly, then you should. However, filing is the easy part. Finalizing the divorce is the complicated part. There are plenty of options you can find online for forms, but the forms you buy aren’t typically specific to Louisiana and almost none have the proper forms for the Calcasieu Parish Clerk of Court and 14th JDC.
The other assumption in these “online form” divorces is that everything goes smoothly. They almost never address how to fix problems that arise, like what if the initial service isn’t done correctly? What if you need to fix an error on your initial paperwork? Typical complications that an attorney knows how to handle can completely stall a divorce if you can’t fix them.
Also, you must take filing fees into account. To start the process for a divorce, the initial filing fee with the Calcasieu Parish Clerk of Court will be over $400.00. If you pay $500.00 for a set of forms online, then you’re already at $900.00 and you still have to do everything yourself and fix any problems that arise. This is exactly why Colonna Law Firm, LLC offers cheap divorces starting at $1200.00 for uncontested 103 divorces.
Disclaimer: Please note the offers contained on this page only apply to those persons living in Calcasieu Parish and this offer is not available to persons living outside of Calcasieu Parish. Colonna Law Firm offers “cheap divorce” rates for those outside Calcasieu Parish, but it varies by Parish and type of divorce. This offer is limited to uncontested divorces and does not apply to any custody, visitation, or property judgments. This is solely an offer to litigate to achieve a judgment of divorce. This offer is also only available when there is no party contesting the divorce.
Is there such a thing as a “cheap” divorce in Louisiana?
There’s no discounted divorce process under Louisiana law, but an uncontested divorce — where both spouses agree on the divorce itself, property division, and any custody or support terms — is significantly less expensive than a contested one because it avoids extended litigation, discovery, and multiple court appearances.
How Much Does a Cheap Divorce Cost in Lake Charles?
At Colonna Law Firm, uncontested divorces are offered at a flat rates, starting at $1,200.00 for 103 divorces and $1700.00 for 102 divorces. These fees include all attorney fees and the initial court filing fees with the Calcasieu Parish Clerk of Court. This is the lowest rate that I know of in the Lake Charles area for a fully attorney-handled divorce.
The final cost depends on the specific circumstances of the case. If both spouses also need assistance with a custody stipulation, child support agreement, or community property division, I can draft those agreements for an additional flat fee plus court costs — keeping the process simple and affordable even when children or shared assets are involved.
Does a Cheap Divorce Include Custody?
If both parties agree, custody paperwork can be completed for an extra fee along with any filing fees. If both parties cannot agree on custody, then it is not included in a cheap divorce rate.
Do I have to Go to Court for a Cheap Divorce in Lake Charles?
In almost all “cheap divorce” cases, a divorce can be had without any court appearances, particularly when both parties are in agreement and all required documents are properly filed. Whether a hearing is required depends on the specific circumstances of the case.
What happens if my spouse won’t agree to the divorce terms?
If the divorce, custody, property, or support becomes disputed, the case is no longer uncontested, and both the process and the cost increase to reflect the additional legal work required to resolve the disagreement.
How long does an uncontested divorce take in Calcasieu Parish?
The timeline depends on which Civil Code article applies and whether the couple has minor children, since Louisiana law sets different waiting periods based on those factors. If both parties have lived apart the required time and the defendant waives service, the process can take a little as a month. If the parties have minor children and are separating as they start the process, then the process will take over a year to complete.
Last reviewed July 2026
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This material is provided for information-gathering purposes only. Submitting this form does not create an attorney-client relationship and does not constitute legal advice. Colonna Law Firm, LLC does not represent you unless and until the firm agrees to represent you and a written fee agreement has been signed. Legal advice must be tailored to the specific facts of each case. Do not rely on this form as a substitute for legal counsel.