For most couples, ending a marriage is a complex process that requires them to equitably divide their property, financial assets, debts and parenting responsibilities. When you are going through a process that touches so many important areas of your life, it is critical that you have a knowledgeable counselor by your side. Attorney Paula Lock Smyth has been helping clients navigate divorce for … [Read more...]
Archives for June 2017
Collaborative Divorce
Divorce Doesn’t Have To Be Painful Rarely is doing battle in a courtroom beneficial to a family. Litigation can be a lengthy, expensive process that often results in judges handing down standard property division, custody and visitation orders that don’t fit the unique needs of a family. Paula Lock Smyth Law Offices, a Dallas, Texas, family law firm, provides clients an alternative. Paula Lock … [Read more...]
Mediation
For many people, divorce is one of the most difficult transitions of their lives. Not only can untangling finances, property and parenting responsibilities be complex, but traditional litigation can be drawn out, expensive and strain already tense relationships. Divorce mediation offers families an efficient, affordable alternative to litigation. Paula Lock Smyth is a family law mediator based in … [Read more...]
Property Division
Property Division In Divorce During a divorce, many couples are surprised at how difficult it can be to divide not only high-valued assets, such as homes and vehicles, but everyday items, bank accounts, retirement accounts and debts. Paula Lock Smyth Law Offices, a Dallas, Texas, family law firm, offers personalized legal advice and aggressive advocacy to individuals who are facing property … [Read more...]
Parenting Rights
Although the Texas statutes that govern child custody and visitation do not discriminate on the basis of a parent’s gender, in many conservative communities mothers are presumed to be more suitable custodial parents in the case of a divorce or separation. That presumption is often untrue and always unfair. North Texas fathers often turn to family law attorney Paula Lock Smyth for unbiased, … [Read more...]
Probate, Wills, Trusts & Estates
When you have lost a loved one, the probate process can be one more in a long line of difficulties. Probate courts resolve estates according to a deceased person’s wishes (as expressed in a will) or state statute (when the person dies intestate, or without a will). The services of an experienced lawyer can help you understand the legal implications of probate. Probate, Wills, Estate Planning To … [Read more...]
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“Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6 … [Read more...]
The right lawyer for a collaborative law approach
A previous post on this blog talked about how a person who wants to participate in the collaborative law approach to resolve a family law issue can still have his or her own attorney and is in fact encouraged to do so. Even though the approach in collaborative law cases is different-going to court is, during the process, is off the table-- an attorney still plays an important role and has an … [Read more...]
May I still have an attorney in a collaborative law case?
One hesitation a Dallas resident might have about using "collaborative law" to settle either a child custody or other family law matter is that they may think no one will be on their side of the negotiation table since everyone is, theoretically, working together to talk through issues. While this may sound really nice in theory, a Texan may worry that, in practice, it could mean his or her own … [Read more...]