Legal Assistance

Types of services

The Rock Island Arsenal Legal Assistance Office offers the following services, among others:

• Family law -- Legal assistance will be provided in marriage, paternity, child custody and visitation, nonsupport, legal separation and divorce.
• Estates -- Legal assistance will be provided on wills, testamentary trusts, guardianships for the benefit of minors, designation of beneficiaries under life insurance policies (including the Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance), living wills and powers of attorney.
• Real property -- Legal assistance will be provided to tenants on leases and landlord-tenant issues and disputes involving a client’s principal residence, including the termination of pre-service leases under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.
• Personal property -- Legal assistance will be provided to those purchasing personal property on all legal matters relating to the purchase.
• Economic -- Legal assistance will be provided to debtors on disputes over lending agreements, and to those requiring help on bankruptcy, debt, banking, credit cards, property insurance problems, garnishments and claims.
• Civilian administrative – We offer help with notarizations, name changes and other cases based on the availability of expertise and resources.
• Notary services are also offered.

Eligibility requirements

To be eligible for legal services, you must be in one of the following categories:

• Active-duty service members and their dependents
• Military retirees and their dependents
• Department of the Army civilian employees who have accepted overseas employment pursuant to the Federal Personnel Manual, Chapter 32, or who, if already on such duty, return to the Continental United States on home leave and their family members who will accompany them.
• DA civilian personnel who are classified as mission essential or emergency essential and who are notified that they are being deployed and their family members, but only while the employee is deployed.
• Fiduciaries, including those who hold powers of attorney, who have been appointed by those listed above to manage their property or handle their personal affairs (legal services are limited to matters that would otherwise be within the scope of the legal assistance program if the grantor was present). In addition, a person seeking legal assistance must provide proof of eligibility prior to receiving legal assistance by displaying a military identification card such as a DD Form 2A (U.S. armed forces identification card), a DD Form 1173 (uniformed services identification and privilege card), military orders or other documentation.

To arrange for legal services, call for an appointment.

Claims for damages to household goods are now submitted directly to the carrier. Ask your transportation office about the process for your carrier. Any claims that have not been resolved within 30 days should be presented to the Legal Assistance office.