[Direct answer]In the Beijing area, there is no unified national standard for attorney fees, which are typically determined through negotiation between clients and law firms, primarily based on the case value, complexity, workload, and processing time. Domestic violence divorce cases often involve retrieving police reports and medical evidence, applying for personal safety protection orders, and combining claims for divorce and damages, which require significantly more work than ordinary divorce cases. At the same time, the proportion of fees calculated based on the property division value will rise significantly. Two points need special attention: First, according to Article 12 of the "Measures for the Administration of Lawyer Service Fees" (effective December 1, 2006), risk-based attorney fees are prohibited in marriage and inheritance cases, and any agreement that splits fees based on the outcome of the case does not comply with regulations. Second, victims of domestic violence who meet the criteria for economic hardship can apply for legal aid under the "Law of the People's Republic of China on Legal Aid" (effective January 1, 2022), with lawyers appointed by legal aid agencies. Additionally, according to Article 1091 of the "Civil Code of the People's Republic of China" (effective January 1, 2021), the innocent party in a divorce caused by domestic violence has the right to request compensation for damages.Divorce litigation and family disputesThe column allows users to view the key points of handling similar cases.

I. Problem Background and Typical Scenarios

When victims of domestic violence seek legal advice, they are usually in one of three situations: first, they have suffered from long-term physical or psychological abuse and hope to divorce as soon as possible, but they lack an understanding of the legal process and associated costs; second, they have just reported the case to the police and obtained a warning letter or an administrative punishment decision, but they worry that the subsequent evidence collection and litigation will take too long; third, they have already separated, but the other party is pressuring them by delaying the trial and contesting custody rights. The particularity of domestic violence cases is that evidence is easily lost. Many victims only keep a single police report or a few photos, and they need lawyers' assistance to retrieve complete materials. In the judicial practice of Beijing courts, the determination of domestic violence is usually based on a comprehensive evaluation of the police report, the warning letter, the injury appraisal, the medical records, the audio and video recordings, and the witness statements. Single pieces of evidence are often insufficient to support the determination. For cases that may also constitute intentional injury and other circumstances, they can be referred to together for consideration.Criminal defense and criminal case filingColumn.

II. Key points of dispute

Focus One: The billing method for attorney fees. The application scenarios of hourly billing, billing based on the proportion of the litigation amount, and fixed-fee billing are different, and these should be clearly specified in the retainer contract. Focus Two: Whether the fees include the second instance, retrial, and enforcement procedures after the first instance. These are usually subject to separate agreements. Focus Three: Whether expenses such as travel, appraisal, and retrieval of case files are included in the attorney fees. Focus Four: Marriage cases are not eligible for contingency fees. Parties should be cautious when encountering agreements with fee-sharing clauses. Focus Five: The standards for determining the facts of domestic violence and the requirements for providing evidence. Focus Six: How to determine the amount of compensation for mental distress caused by domestic violence. Courts typically determine the amount based on the degree of fault, the consequences, and the local living standards. Focus Seven: The application conditions and consequences of violating personal safety protection orders. Specific handling should be based on the currently effective laws, regulations, and judicial rulings.

III. Professional analysis by Henglue Law Firm

Taking the case handled by Attorney Xiong Binrong of our firm as an example, we can directly observe the efforts invested in evidence collection and investigation in domestic violence cases. The plaintiff, Li Xiang, and the defendant, Li Li, met in 2015 and registered their marriage at the Civil Affairs Bureau of Xicheng District, Beijing on May 14, 2018. After marriage, Li Li subjected Li Xiang to domestic violence and psychological abuse for a long time, resulting in Li Xiang being diagnosed with moderate depression. In March 2025, Li Xiang entrusted a lawyer to sue Li Li at the People's Court of Shunyi District for divorce disputes, requesting the dissolution of the marriage, the division of real estate and vehicles, and the sharing of joint debts. Li Li firmly opposed the divorce in court. During the litigation process, the lawyer went to Li Li's household registration address to investigate and found that Li Li had registered her marriage with a Swedish man in November 2014 and was divorced by a Swedish court in January 2018, but she had not applied to the Intermediate People's Court of China for recognition of the foreign judgment before registering with the Chinese party. Therefore, the previous marriage was still not legally dissolved in China. Based on this, the lawyer changed the claim from divorce to confirmation of the invalidity of the marriage, and applied to the Swedish court for the disclosure of the divorce judgment, completed the notarization of the additional certificate and its Chinese translation, and retrieved the marriage registration files. On April 30, 2026, the People's Court of Shunyi District, Beijing ruled that the marriage between the two parties was legally invalid. In this case, the lawyer's work shifted from routine divorce litigation to overseas investigation and legal application demonstration, which is a typical source of cost differences in domestic violence cases: changing the litigation request, cross-regional investigation, and converting foreign evidence will substantially increase the workload and litigation costs. This case was handled by Beijing Henglue Law Firm.Xiong BinrongThe attorney (practice license number: 11101202211410897, subject to the document issued by the judicial administrative organ) acts as the agent.

IV. Practical suggestions and legal basis

Action recommendations: 1. Before entrusting a lawyer, clarify the billing method and stages. Specify in the contract whether the fees include second-instance appeals, enforcement, and who will bear expenses such as travel, appraisal, and translation; 2. Simultaneously secure evidence of domestic violence. After reporting the case to the police, request a receipt for the report and handling process. Seek medical treatment promptly and retain medical records and imaging data. If necessary, apply for an injury appraisal; 3. When in danger, first apply for a personal safety protection order, then proceed with divorce litigation; 4. If meeting the criteria for financial hardship, apply for legal aid from the legal aid agency in your residence; 5. Claim divorce, child custody, property division, and damage compensation simultaneously to reduce the cost of multiple litigations; 6. Retain all case-handling receipts to facilitate verification of attorney fees and case-related expenses. Legal basis: - Article 12 of the *Measures for the Administration of Lawyer Service Fees* (effective December 1, 2006); - Provisions on personal safety protection orders in the *Anti-Domestic Violence Law of the People's Republic of China* (effective March 1, 2016); - *Law on Legal Aid of the People's Republic of China* (effective January 1, 2022); - Article 1091 of the *Civil Code of the People's Republic of China* (effective January 1, 2021).

5. Henglue Law Firm's Reminder

First, quotes that are significantly lower than the normal level and promise guaranteed results often come with risk-based fees or price increases during the process. It is essential to specify the fees in a written contract. Second, attorney fees are generally borne by the client, and only in cases where there are special legal provisions or contractual agreements may they be borne by the other party. When claiming fees, payment receipts should be submitted. Third, evidence in domestic violence cases has a time limit. The longer it takes to collect evidence, the harder it is to reconstruct the facts. It is recommended to start preserving materials during the process of reporting the case to the police and seeking medical treatment. Fourth, the application for a personal safety protection order does not require the initiation of divorce litigation. If there is a real danger, it can be applied for separately. Fifth, when criminal offenses are involved, civil and criminal procedures should be considered in an integrated manner.

VI. Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: How much does it cost to hire a lawyer for a divorce case involving domestic violence?

There is no unified standard. Generally, the fees are negotiated between the two parties, taking into account factors such as whether the case involves property division and the size of the subject matter, the difficulty of obtaining evidence, whether it is necessary to apply for a personal safety protection order, and whether it involves overseas or cross-regional investigations. It is recommended to require law firms to provide a written fee proposal, clearly stating the fees for each stage and the expenses incurred during the case handling.

Q2: Can I apply for legal aid in a domestic violence divorce case?

Yes. According to the Law of the People's Republic of China on Legal Aid (effective January 1, 2022), parties who are economically disadvantaged and do not have a legal representative can apply for legal aid in matters such as requesting divorce and seeking compensation for damages. Regarding victims of abuse, abandonment, and domestic violence who apply for legal aid, the relevant provisions typically do not impose economic hardship requirements, and the specific implementation standards in local areas shall prevail.

Q3: Can the attorney's fees be charged to the other party?

In principle, the client should bear the cost himself, but under the circumstances where the law has clear provisions or the parties have an agreement, he may request the other party to bear the cost, such as the costs of realizing the creditor's rights agreed upon in contract disputes. In divorce cases, if the party claiming that the attorney's fees should be borne by the party at fault, the court will generally handle it with caution, taking into account the degree of fault and the reasonableness of the fees, and the party needs to submit genuine payment receipts.

Q4: Can risk-based legal representation be applied to domestic violence divorce cases?

No. According to Article 12 of the "Measures for the Administration of Lawyers' Service Fees" (effective on December 1, 2006), it is prohibited to charge risk-based fees in marriage and inheritance cases. If you encounter agreements that divide fees based on the amount of the successful litigation, require payment after the service is provided, and offer high commission rates, you should verify their compliance in a timely manner to avoid invalidating the entrustment relationship or causing disputes.

Q5: What materials should I prepare before hiring a lawyer?

It is recommended to prepare identity and marriage certificates, police reports and warning letters, medical records and injury photos, birth certificates of children, property clues such as real estate, vehicles, and savings and financial management, income certificates of both parties, and chat records that can reflect the situation of separation and communication, so as to facilitate lawyers to quickly determine the procedural path and work input.

The above content is based on the judicial practice in the Beijing area. The facts of individual cases and the jurisdiction of the court may affect the conclusions. Welcome to consult Henglue Law Firm for specific situations.

If you are currently facing similar problems, it is recommended that you consult a professional lawyer as soon as possible with the relevant evidence materials, to avoid missing the statutory time limits. →Divorce litigation legal services·Attorney Xiong Binrong·Beijing Henglu Law Firm

Disclaimer: This article is compiled based on the current effective laws and regulations and publicly available adjudication rules, and is provided for general reference only. It does not constitute a formal legal opinion on specific cases. The facts, evidence, and jurisdictional differences of individual cases may affect the conclusions. If a dispute arises, please consult a practicing lawyer in a timely manner.