Legal Assistance

Types of Services

• Attorney and notary services (completed without appointment)
• Basic will and other basic estate planning preparation
• Advance medical directives and health care powers of attorney (with completed will packet)
• Domestic relations, including divorce, separation, child custody and paternity (advice only, no paperwork will be drafted)
• Military rights and benefits
• Stepparent adoptions (paperwork drafted only if both biological parents consent)
• Consumer affairs, including warranty disputes, identity theft and credit report disputes
• Immigration and naturalization assistance
• Landlord-tenant relations
• Indebtedness
• Servicemembers' Civil Relief Act powers

Limited or No services provided for:

• Private business matters
• Representation in court
• Assistance in matters against the United States government
• Employment matters
• Real estate contracts

Appointments

Currently, all attorney services require an appointment Aside from active duty walk-ins.
To schedule an appointment, call 360-257-2126/2127. Do not expect to be seen the same day the appointment is made. With any type of appointment that you make with the Region Legal Service Office, submit any document(s) that may pertain to your issue. This will help the attorney in assisting you with your situation. Also, if you have young children, make arrangements for someone to take care of them prior to coming to your appointment and attending any of the seminars and workshops.

Dissolution of Marriage

Personnel needing advice on divorce are required to watch the dissolution of marriage video prior to seeing a legal assistance attorney.

The seminar video is about 30 minutes long and gives a comprehensive overview of the divorce process and issues to consider, including child support and custody. A checklist of the types of forms you need and the website where these forms can be downloaded for free are provided during the video. The video can be reviewed on YouTube at www.tinyurl.com/WADisso.

The RLSO gives you the tools to allow you to do the dissolution process yourself inexpensively. Once you have the forms completed, you may submit them to the clerk at the courthouse.

Assistance is limited to uncontested divorces. If the divorce becomes contested, then you may have to hire your own civilian attorney at your own expense.

Wills and Estate Planning

All wills and estate planning documents require two appointments, normally two weeks apart. The first appointment will be a draft interview and the second, the will oath/execution after the attorney has drafted the documents. Allow at least one hour for the initial appointment, and 30 minutes for the second.

Deploying personnel and active-duty emergency cases receive priority. To schedule, call  
360-257-2126/2127. The follow-up will oath/execution appointment will be scheduled after the first appointment once you as the client have reviewed your estate plan for accuracy.

For non-deploying and non-emergency cases, call 360-257-2126/2127 to schedule an appointment for a will draft interview.

Household Goods Claims Services/Claims Against the United States

All personal property damage claims are filed through the DPS website. For assistance with filing a personal property claim, contact the personnel claims act unit help line at 888-897-8217, 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST, Monday-Friday. You may also visit the DPS website and the Judge Advocate General website for claims information.

Personal property claimants are reminded that they must continue to submit ? reporting all losses to DPS within 180  days of delivery of household goods or your claim will be reduced or denied.

Claims against the United States are managed by the Office of the Judge Advocate General, Code 15, claims and tort litigation division. This division has worldwide responsibility for processing different types of claims under various statutes and regulations. They develop and implement claims policy for the JAG and the Secretary of the Navy, and processes all claims brought for or against the Navy.

For all claims issues, please visit the JAG website. Under Legal Services, scroll down to Claims. The site provides the packets and forms, the addresses to file the claims and phone and fax numbers.

Defense Service Office Southwest, Everett Detachment

Defense services are offered remotely (by phone) through the Defense Service Office detachment located in Everett. To obtain defense services, contact the defense office by phone at 425-304-4549, or email at navylegaldefensenw@navy.mil

Defense advises sailors on the following issues and concerns:

• Nonjudicial punishment
• Court-martial
• Administrative separation
• Filing a complaint
• Security clearance Issues
• Criminal charges