Trailblazer Spotlight:
Carole Cross:
A Trailblazer for Service Members and Military Families1
1 The Section Report would like to thank Janine McGill and the Family Law Section History and Archives Committee for the submission of this article.
For more than three decades, Carole Cross has dedicated her legal career to passionate representation of service members and military families. Based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas, Carole is widely recognized as a leading authority in military family law, trusted not only by her clients but also by family law attorneys across the state who turn to her when military issues arise. Carole Cross did not choose military family law by accident. She chose it because she saw a need, felt responsible, and made a promise she intended to keep.
Carole graduated from Texas Tech University in May of 1992 and began focusing on military family law in 1996. Today, she operates the Law Office of Carole Cross in Hurst, Texas, serving military families and service members throughout the state of Texas. Throughout her years of practice, Carole is often retained to assist with questions related to the division of military retirement benefits and regulations. Mediated settlement agreements and final decrees may rely on incomplete information about military retirement or spousal benefits, leaving service members bearing the consequences. These experiences ultimately led Carole to devote a part of her practice to consulting for attorneys to navigate the complex-ities of military divorce and to educating others so both the trial attorneys and their clients have a suc-cessful outcome.
This consulting interest led to the creation of her “Start to Finish” consulting service. Through this service, Carole works with other family law attorneys as a consultant, collaborating from the earliest
stages of a case through final resolution. She helps identify and address the unique legal and practical issues that arise in military divorces, ensuring that service members’ rights, benefits, and careers are understood and protected. Many Texas family law attorneys rely on Carole’s guidance when handling military cases, knowing that early consultation can prevent irreversible errors.
What truly distinguishes Carole’s work is her deep, personal understanding of military life gained not only from her work experience but also during her marriage to a retired U.S. Navy Captain. Before his passing, she made him a promise to take care of the people who served alongside him and those who would serve after him. She understands the profound bond among service members made through sac-rifice and shared experiences that civilians often cannot fully comprehend. Carole uses this understand-ing to give courts critical insight into military life prior to rendering decisions, like carefully considering how a court order can affect a service member’s security clearance. She considers herself to be a voice for the service member and provides a window into the service members’ life.
Notably, in the litigation side of her practice, Carole exclusively represents service members—not civilians. Over the years, she has developed exceptional skills in working with clients who may be dealing with PTSD, heightened stress from the rigor of military service in all the locations around the world where we serve, survivor’s guilt, or other long-term effects of military service. She understands that many ser-vice members carry extraordinary stories—some they can share and most they cannot. Carole will often refer her service member clients to a peer-to-peer specialist or mental health provider to provide addi-tional support while she focuses on legal advocacy.
Giving back is a cornerstone of Carole’s practice. Carole is committed to pro-bono work for service members as a way of recognizing the sacrifices they have made, often for little pay and at great personal cost. Her commitment was formally recognized on January 12, 2022, when she received the Gold Service Award for Pro Bono Service from the Tarrant County Bar Association. When pro bono representation is not an option, she demonstrates her commitment to her clients by offering evening and weekend appoint-ments to work around service members’ demanding schedules, as well as virtual consultations for those who are unable to meet in person. It is not uncommon for Carole to have client appointments when the rest of us have turned in for the night.
In addition to her advocacy work, Carole serves as a military expert witness throughout Texas and even abroad. She is a family law mediator fluent in English and Spanish, which allows her to serve as a Spanish to English translator. She is also a proficient speaker of French and German. She has given numerous presentations about military family law for the Tarrant County Bar Association, Tarrant County Family Law Bar Association, Texas A&M School of Law, Texas Lawyers for Texas Veterans, Dallas Bench Bar, and more.
Outside the courtroom, Carole Cross is equally accomplished. She is an avid cyclist and accom-plished marathon runner, with one of her proudest achievements being a cycling journey across the state of Iowa as part of RAGBRI. These pursuits reflect the same endurance and discipline she brings to her legal work.
Carole feels deeply privileged to get to know and represent so many remarkable service members. Through her expertise, compassion, and unwavering dedication, Carole Cross continues to set the stand-ard for military family law in Texas. She is an advocate, a protector, and a trusted guide for those who have spent their lives serving others—a true Trailblazer.
2026-2027
