Legal Assistance
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Atlantic
Postal Service Center Box 8007
Cherry Point NC 28533

Legal Assistance Marines ♦ COMM: (252) 466-2311 / 2361 ♦ DSN: 582-2311 / 2361

Civilian Legal Assistance Notary Public ♦ COMM: (252) 466-6500 / 6458 ♦ DSN: 582-6500 / 6458

Eligibility
The focus of legal assistance is force readiness, by providing pre-deployment services to active duty personnel, and in particular junior Marines (E5 and below). Services will be provided in the following priority categories:

1. Active Duty members, in pre-deployment status
2. Dependents of active duty personnel in 1 above
3. All other Active Duty personnel and their dependents
4. Retired or retained personnel, and their spouses, on a space available basis.

Hours of Operation Monday through Friday 0730-1630

Notary public Anytime during regular hours.

Powers of Attorney (POA) Anytime during regular hours.

Wills (and POA)

• Mandatory brief: Monday and Wednesday, check in at 0945
• Will signing ceremony: Monday and Wednesday, check in at 1245

Appointments and walk-ins Call (252) 466-2311/2361 to schedule appointment for following week.

Walk-ins Check in no later than 0800. Walk-ins will be seen according to the priority categories above. Operational requirements and staffing constraints may further limit the number of walk-ins.

Be sure to bring all documents that pertain to your question (contracts, bills, receipts, leases, court documents, etc) - the name and contact information of all persons involved.

Services Provided
A Legal Assistance attorney CAN assist with: simple wills and estate planning; debt collectors; credit reports; door-to-door sales; landlord issues; small claims court; uncontested separation and divorce; family support obligation; adoptions; and immigration.

In such cases, what can a legal assistance attorney do for you?

Depending on the issue, the attorney may:
• Provide education regarding the law,
• Provide advice on how to proceed, what (not) to do next,
• Make phone calls or write letters to the interested parties,
• Help refer the question to civilian counsel in the appropriate jurisdiction,
• Help filling out important documents,
• In limited circumstances, prepare legal documents.

A Legal Assistance attorney CANNOT:
• Assist you in criminal matters (UCMJ or out-in-town, parking tickets, citations); appear in court; claims against, or issues involving, the government (IRS, BCNR, medical claims); administrative matters (investigations, Article 138 complaints); business or professional issues; complex wills and estate planning (e.g. supplemental and other trusts,)
• Appear before a court or administrative board on your behalf,
• Take ownership of your issue and make it go away. Even with an attorney, you will likely have to take many or even all steps yourself,
• Act as a mediator in separation/divorce cases,
• Represent opposing parties (e.g., both spouses in separation or divorce,)
• Provide advice over the phone.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEE:
• Ch 7, JAGMAN (JAGINSTR 5800.7E)
• Ch 14 & 15, LEGADMINMAN (MCO P5800.16A)
• Recurring Legal News article in Windsock

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