Paula Lock Smyth

Dallas Family Law & Divorce Attorney

  • Home
  • Firm Overview
    • My Practice
    • Professional History
    • Memberships, Activities, Recognition
  • Practice Areas
    • Divorce
    • Collaborative Divorce
    • Mediation
    • Parenting Rights
    • Probate, Wills, Trusts & Estate Planning
  • FAQs
    • Just Been Served Papers? Now What?
    • Child Support FAQs
    • How Long Does It Take To Get A Divorce?
    • Is There Such a Thing as Legal Separation?
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
You are here: Home / Areas of Practice / Divorce / Military Divorce

Military Divorce

  • Divorce
    • High Net Worth Divorce
    • Post Divorce Issues
    • Temporary Orders
    • Alternatives to Divorce
    • Military Divorce
    • Property Division
    • Finding Hidden Assets
    • Valuation of Assets
    • Contested vs Uncontested Divorce
    • Same Sex Divorce
  • Premarital & Post-Marital Agreements
  • Alimony or Spousal Support
  • Restraining Orders & Protective Orders

Divorce can be difficult for any family, but military families face unique issues that civilian families often never encounter. Paula Lock Smyth Law Offices, a family law firm serving Dallas, Texas, and the surrounding communities, understands the challenges military families face during divorce and provides comprehensive family law services to the men and women who serve the country, and their spouses.

Military Divorce: What are some of the unique issues that arise in military divorces?

Division Of Military Pensions

Often referred to as the “10-Year Rule” or the “10/10 Rule,” one source of confusion in military divorces is a regulation that restricts the Defense Finance and Accounting Services (DFAS) from directly issuing a former spouse his or her share of a military pension, unless the couple was married for 10 years, and the service member served 10 years of service creditable toward retirement during the marriage.

The 10/10 Rule in no way restricts the right a court has to award an equitable portion of a service member’s military pension to their former spouse. That right is expressly granted in the Uniformed Services Former Spouse Protection Act (USFSPA). The 10-Year Rule simply allows the DFAS to avoid administering small divisions of military pensions and requires the service member to pay any share to their former spouse directly.

Child Custody And Visitation Issues In Military Divorce

Parenting issues are often some of the most difficult aspects of a divorce, and military divorce is no exception. For families in which one parent is an active-duty service member, there are a variety of issues that complicate custody, visitation and support arrangements.

Paula Lock Smyth understands the complexities of military life and works closely with clients to help them reach workable solutions that meet their goals and their children’s best interests while also taking realities of their job into consideration. Paula Lock Smyth Law Offices offers knowledgeable representation to individuals facing issues regarding:

  • Calculating child support with a military income
  • The effects of deployment on custody determinations
  • The effects of deployment on visitation schedules
  • Child relocation as a result of a military transfer

Contact A Dallas Military Divorce Lawyer

To schedule a free initial consultation with an experienced Dallas divorce attorney regarding military divorce, contact Paula Lock Smyth Law Offices at 214-420-1800.

Paula Lock Smyth Law Offices

2911 Turtle Creek Blvd. Ste. 300
Dallas, Texas 75219

Phone: 214-420-1800
Fax: 214-420-1801

Find what you need…

Additional Videos

VIDEO Title 1 Placeholder Text
VIDEO Title 1 Placeholder Text
VIDEO Title 1 Placeholder Text
VIDEO Title 1 Placeholder Text
VIDEO Title 1 Placeholder Text
VIDEO Title 1 Placeholder Text

Contact Us

From the Blog

impact of smoking pot on divorce

Will Smoking Pot Have An Impact On My Divorce?

The short answer is yes. In the state of Texas, marijuana is still an illegal drug. That means the … [Read More...]

Paula Lock Smyth Law Offices
2911 Turtle Creek Blvd. Ste. 300
Dallas, Texas 75219

Phone: 214-420-1800
Fax: 214-420-1801

Disclaimer
The contents of this website does not imply legal advise or counsel and does not establish an attorney/client relationship. Please contact us for information on our policies regarding any relationship with clients, potential clients, or non-clients of our firm.

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2025 · by Paula Lock Smyth Law Offices. All rights reserved.

· · ·

Website Design by The Crouch Group

Log in

  • Home
  • Firm Overview
    ▼
    • My Practice
    • Professional History
    • Memberships, Activities, Recognition
  • Practice Areas
    ▼
    • Divorce
    • Collaborative Divorce
    • Mediation
    • Parenting Rights
    • Probate, Wills, Trusts & Estate Planning
  • FAQs
    ▼
    • Just Been Served Papers? Now What?
    • Child Support FAQs
    • How Long Does It Take To Get A Divorce?
    • Is There Such a Thing as Legal Separation?
  • Blog
  • Contact Us