Family Law Attorney Serving Houston
A Compassionate, Professional Houston Family Law Practice
Based in Houston, the Law Office of Maria Lowry assists clients throughout the Greater Houston area in a wide variety of family law matters. We help people get through tough times by providing sound advice, supportive guidance, and strong representation. Our focus areas include:
Divorce
A large portion of our practice is devoted to helping clients through divorce. We handle contested and uncontested divorce cases, and are experienced in both mediation and litigation proceedings. We also help clients address all of the issues that arise out of divorce, including child custody, child support, property distribution, and spousal maintenance. Please see our divorce and modifications page for more information about facing divorce in Texas.
Adoptions
The Law Office of Maria Lowry is qualified to assist prospective parents in the adoption process, fully appreciating the significance of creating a new parent-child relationship. Many of the adoptions we handle involve stepparent and grandparent adoptions, which are often the culmination of years of care and dependency. We provide the necessary representation and guidance in child adoption cases to solidify such relationships through formal legal channels.
Child Support Modifications
When a divorce involves children, parents generally share ongoing rights and responsibilities as established by court order, including requirements for the support of their children. Often, however, child support arrangements established at the time of divorce are not appropriate or workable forever. When circumstances change, we help clients seek changes to support orders.
Enforcement or Modifications of Child Custody or Possession
We also help clients enforce or modify child custody and possession orders, which dictate the time each parent spends with a child. An existing possession and access schedule may need to be modified if it is no longer viable. In other cases, enforcement of an order may be necessary if one parent is not honoring the terms of a custody arrangement.
Name Changes
We help clients seek name changes, often in conjunction with other family law services such as divorce and adoption. In divorce cases, you may change your name as part of the divorce proceeding if you are simply returning to a “prior used name.” In other cases–and to change the names of children after divorce or adoption–a separate action is required.
Prenuptial Agreements
Entering into a prenuptial agreement is a smart decision for many couples intending to marry. It may provide for how marital assets are to be distributed in the event of death or divorce, and protect assets, income, and inheritance plans for loved ones. A prenup is especially important for those with significant personal assets or children from previous relationships.
Postnuptial Agreements & Partitions
The Law Office of Maria Lowry also assists couples with postnuptial agreements and partitions, which are contracts entered into after marriage. Postnuptial agreements basically work like prenuptial agreements and provide for the division of property upon death or divorce.
Cohabitation Agreements
When unmarried couples live together for a long period time, ending a relationship can be like a divorce, with important issues that need to be resolved for the parties to move forward. We help clients establish cohabitation agreements to specify what happens to property, debt, and other items in the event a cohabitation relationship does end. Cohabitation agreements can also include a power of attorney to give either party the right to make health care or other decisions for the other in the event of incapacity.
Same-Sex Marriage and Divorce
Many people are married to or in partnership with a person of the same sex. Though the State of Texas and the Texas Family Code have not quite caught up with this, the Law Office of Maria Lowry can help find solutions for the needs of your family for property rights and division, child custody and support, decision-making authority, and inheritance. Cases now pending in the Texas Supreme Court may lead to availability of divorce in Texas for same-sex couples married elsewhere.
Wills, Powers of Attorney & Advance Directives
When you enter into a new relationship, either as a spouse or a parent, it is important to protect the people who depend on you. Planning helps ensure that your property and assets pass to your loved ones according to your wishes, and also allows you to name people who may make financial and health care decisions on your behalf in the event of incapacity. Please see our wills and probate page for more information about our services in this area.
Other Civil & Family Law Matters
We also assist clients in other civil and family law matters as they arise, always working to ensure our clients’ rights and interests are protected.
Contact a Skilled, Understanding Harris County Family Lawyer
At the Law Office of Maria Lowry, we understand that divorce and other family law matters require clients to make important decisions in difficult times. You can trust that we will analyze the individual circumstances of your case, promptly provide knowledgeable advice and legal support, and help you clarify and achieve your goals. To schedule a personal consultation, please contact our office.