Who by law has to pay for total costs of a civil union dissolution?
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Who by law has to pay for total costs of a civil union dissolution?
My ex-partner and I entered into a civil union 3 years ago. Then, this past month my ex-partner sent me “dissolution of civil union” papers to sign through a lawyer. I never agreed on paper to pay half of the $800.00 fee, can she take me to court for this payment?
Asked on November 25, 2011 under Family Law, New York
Answers:
M.T.G., Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
I am so sorry that things have not worked out for you and your partner. Dissolving a civil union is like dissolving a divorce. The court will also decide the ancillary issues involved like equitable distribution of property. So if the same laws apply to dissolution of a civil union as they do to dissolution of a marriage, then so do the same rules for payment of your attorney. And if you did not retain the attorney to dissolve the civil union - you signed no paperwork hiring him or agreeing to a fee, correct? - then the bill is not yours at this point in time unless a Judge rules otherwise. The courts can ask one party to pay the legal fees of another in a divorce or even to split the fees but that determination is made on a case by case basis. Good luck to you.
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