LAW SCHOOL
School	Degree earned	Graduation Date
South Texas College of Law 12/1998

State Bar of Texas | Find A Lawyer | Paula Vlahakos

Paula Vlahakos attended South Texas College of Law.

Find A Lawyer | Paula Vlahakos - State Bar of Texas

PRACTICE INFORMATION

Firm: SHORT VLAHAKOS SYDOW

Firm Size: 6 to 10

Occupation: Private Law Practice

Practice Areas: Family

Services Provided: None Reported By Attorney

Former Harris County Associate Judge Paula Vlahakos raised this issue to state senators as well. She recommended “increased training for judges presiding over child welfare cases and for the lawyers who represent parents and children in those cases.”

The Texas Deep State: Families Under Siege

Paula practices law at Short Vlahakos Sydow, specializing in family law. She previously served as a Harris County associate judge.

2026 Texas General Election

MS. PAULA VLAHAKOS
Eligible to Practice in Texas
SHORT VLAHAKOS SYDOW

Bar Card Number: 24010466
TX License Date: 05/03/1999

Practices family law at Short Vlahakos Sydow.

As an attorney at  Short Vlahakos Sydow, researches, drafts, and files legal documents, and provides legal advice to clients,

As an associate judge, conducted hearings, issued recommendations and rulings, and oversaw cases.

- As an attorney at  Short Vlahakos Sydow, researches, drafts, and files legal documents, and provides legal advice to clients,
- As an associate judge, conducted hearings, issued recommendations and rulings, and oversaw cases.

Legal Experience

As of July 22, 2026, Paula Vlahakos did not have a website or any information online.

Judicial Administration

Found that Child Protective Services had acted in bad faith when it removed a child.

But after the judge noticed the foster parents had filed a custody intervention she began investigating the case. CPS even tried to dismiss the suit but Judge Vlahakos found the state agency had acted in bad faith when they removed the little girl.

Judge sanctions CPS for illegally removing child and then lying about it in court

Judicial Philosophy

Ethics & Conduct

Community Involvement

Paula Vlahakos

- Practices family law at Short Vlahakos Sydow.

As of July 22, 2026, Paula Vlahakos’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Paula Vlahakos has a law degree from South Texas College of Law. She lives in Houston, Texas.

Ms. Paula Vlahakos - Attorney in Texas - Cases & Statistics

Ms. Paula Vlahakos - Houston, TX Attorney - Lawyers.com

Paula is an attorney with her own law firm, Vlahakos Law Office. She previously served as an associate judge for Harris County.

January 2026 Newsletter - CClub - “C” Club of Houston

Paula previously served as an associate judge in Harris County.

Recommended "increased training for judges presiding over child welfare cases and for the lawyers who represent parents and children in those cases."

Buket Urgen

Alejandra Gracias

Angela M Lancelin

- District judges manage Texas district courts, which are trial courts with general jurisdiction, and have exclusive authority over felony cases. A judge may be presiding over a civil, criminal, juvenile, or special court. They also share jurisdiction with Texas county courts.
- Texas has over 470 district courts, each presided over by a single judge. Some courts cover multiple counties, while others are assigned to single counties based on population size.
- District judges are elected through partisan elections for four-year terms. Candidates must be between 25 and 75 years old, have lived in the district for at least 2 years, and be licensed lawyers with at least 4 years' experience.
- The annual salary for district judges ranges from $175,000 to $245,500, depending on years of service.

Presides over a trial court with general jurisdiction. 