Legal Assistance

Hours of Operation

Monday-Wednesday 9am-4pm

Thursday-Friday 10am-4pm

Closed for federal holidays

Walk-In Powers of Attorney and Notary Service

Monday-Wednesday 9am-4pm

Thursday-Friday 10am-4pm

Closed for federal holidays

Legal Assistance Hours

By appointment only. Open for all eligible clientele, including retirees and their dependents (Eligible Clientele: active duty and their dependents, retirees and their dependents, reservists/National Guardsmen and their dependents when on active orders).

Wills are scheduled by appointment only on Wednesdays. To schedule a will appointment, clients must fill out a will worksheet and have their ticket number available.

To schedule a legal assistance appointment, including wills, please call 623-856-6901 or email 56JA.ORG@us.af.mil.

Also included on the legal assistance website is the Department of the Air Force Docket, which lists pending and completed courts-martial under the respective tabs at the top of the page. Results may be filtered by date range, base, or location.

https://legalassistance.law.af.mil/AMJAMS/PublicDocket/docket.html

Powers of Attorney

With some planning, most people can usually handle their own affairs. However, there are times when you might need someone to act as your agent in your absence, to handle a particular piece of business. If you appoint someone to act for you, you do so by giving him or her your power of attorney. These documents are particularly useful for managing personal affairs during deployments.

A power of attorney is a legal document that allows another to conduct legal actions on your behalf (such as selling a house or registering a car) and can be either special (usually connected with a single transaction or event) or general (total power over another's legal affairs). Special powers of attorney are usually the best choice because they are drafted to fit individual needs on a one-time basis or for a limited period of time. The Legal Office is prepared to draft both. For more information see the Powers of Attorney Fact Sheet.

Before coming to our office for service, please complete our web-based Power of Attorney worksheet located on the Air Force Legal Assistance Website.

Go to the worksheet, select "Legal Worksheets" and click the "Create Power of Attorney Worksheet" button. Please bring the ticket number that corresponds to the Worksheet when you come to our office for service. You may take a picture of the ticket number on your phone to show us as it is case sensitive.

LEGAL ASSISTANCE SERVICES

The Legal Office provides legal services and advice absolutely free to all active duty personnel and their dependents along with Reservists and Guardsmen on federal active duty and their dependents. In addition, retired personnel, their dependents, and dependent survivors may also receive legal assistance to the extent personnel and facilities are available.

Air Force attorneys and paralegals can assist eligible personnel with wills, powers of attorney, notary service, or advice on personal civil legal matters such as adoption, domestic relations, landlord-tenant issues (for tenants only), tax assistance, and consumer law questions. Legal assistance officers are licensed attorneys who are assigned by the Air Force to advise and counsel members on personal legal problems.

Limitations on Legal Assistance

The Legal Assistance Program offers counseling for personal civil matters only. Legal assistance officers cannot represent clients in court, prepare or file documents with a court, nor can they advise persons who have hired a civilian attorney on the same subject matter. They cannot advise about criminal matters, or Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) related offenses, (active duty members with these issues should contact the Area Defense Counsel Office) nor can they assist someone to avoid paying a debt or advise someone regarding a private business and other outside employment. They are also prohibited from preparing personal legal documents on behalf of those eligible, except for wills, powers of attorney, and affidavits.

Deployment

Our primary goal and first priority is to ensure members and their families are prepared for deployment. That means the legal offices works with members to ensure everything is in order. This includes the preparation of wills, advance medical directives (living will and medical power of attorney), general/special powers of attorney, and assisting in arrangement to help support service members and their families.  If you or a family member is deploying soon, call our office to make an appointment. Please make every effort to visit our office or call and schedule an appointment as soon as possible after receiving deployment notification.

Wills and Estates

A will is a written legal declaration of how personal property should be distributed after death. The Legal Office can assist eligible military and family members in preparing a will.  Before making an appointment, members should review the Will Considerations For Military Families fact sheet and complete a Will Questionnaire Worksheet located on the Air Force Legal Assistance Website.

To complete the worksheet, click on this link and select "Legal Worksheets" and click the "Create Will and Advance Medical Directive Worksheet" button. Please keep the ticket number that corresponds to the Will Worksheet.

Legal Assistance and Will creation are handled by appointment only.  Please call 623-856-6901 or email 56JA.ORG@us.af.mil to schedule an appointment.

If you are deploying, please call our office or send us an email for additional availability.

The Air Force Claims Service Center now processes personnel claims for Airmen and civilian employees worldwide. Those with household goods shipment, personal property and vehicle damage claims may benefit from this streamlined on-line claims process.

To file a claim online or https://claims.jag.af.mil/. The web site also lists a toll-free and DSN numbers for assistance filing a claim.

VWAP

The Victim and Witness Assistance Program is a commander-directed program that is supported by the Staff Judge Advocate Office. The VWAP program provides guidance for the treatment of victims and witnesses of crime under the UCMJ. Using a multi-disciplinary approach, the program ensures that victims and witnesses receive the information and assistance they deserve.

Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office 
The Department of Defense does not tolerate sexual assault and has implemented a comprehensive policy that reinforces a culture of prevention, response and accountability that ensures the safety, dignity and well-being of all members of the Armed Forces.

The Sexual Assault Response Coordinator can be reached 24 hours a day at (623) 856-4878 or (623) 363-6590.