Practice Areas

Dallas Family Attorney

Attorney Paula A. Lock in Dallas is known as a knowledgeable, caring and cost-effective attorney and counselor, as well as an accomplished mediator and collaborative lawyer. Paula A. Lock Law Office, P.C., offers a multi-faceted family law practice, providing assistance with premarital agreements, divorce, custody, visitation, child support, name changes, paternity, termination of parental rights, and step-parent or grandparent adoptions. Family lawyer Paula Lock often serves as guardian ad litem, and also handles probate, wills and guardianship services.

Contact the law firm regarding any of the following family law issues in North Texas:

Child Custody and Visitation: Both the father and mother are expected to be responsible for their own children, and in most cases both the father and mother deserve fair amounts of parenting time.

Divorce: The divorce decree is intended to permanently settle questions of property ownership and responsibilities or liabilities pertaining to a previously married couple.

Modifications and Enforcement: Enforcement of support and custody decrees may include contempt of court declarations and even jail time for the person who has violated court orders.

Child Support: Child support payments are calculated as a percentage of the paying person's net monthly resources, including bonuses and commissions.

Adoption: Adoption is normally a joyous occasion for parents and children who thereby form new "forever" families. It is also a formal procedure that must be properly handled to ensure a solid and irreversible legal relationship. Termination of the parental rights of any living biological parents is a vital part of the process.

Grandparents' Rights: Attorney Paula A. Lock of North Texas assists grandmothers and grandfathers who are seeking access to their grandchildren through visitation.

Fathers' Rights: Often, assertion of a father's rights starts with simple steps such as keeping a log of his involvement in children's activities, including doctors' appointments, school events, PTA meetings and parent-teacher conferences. Prompt payment of child support is crucial. Attorney Lock is prepared to take child custody cases to trial if necessary to protect fathers' rights.

Collaborative Law and Mediation: Attorney Paula Lock understands the value of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) for individuals and couples who are committed to swift and cost-effective resolution of a Texas divorce.

Probate, Wills and Estate Planning: Discuss the various ways by which you can plan for the future through designation of a durable power of attorney, medical power of attorney or healthcare directive (living will).

Contact an experienced Dallas attorney through this Web site or by phone to schedule a consultation about your North Texas family law matter.