IMPORTANT UPDATES:
The Cherry Point Legal Assistance office will have modified hours of operation as follows until further notice:
State Notary Public Services Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 0800 – 1100; Tuesday and Thursday 0730-1100 and 1300-1530.
Separation and Divorce brief Wednesday morning. Due to COVID we are restricting the brief to 10 people. You must call 252-466-2311 to be assigned a brief date. The brief starts at 0830 and you must be checked in with Legal Assistance by 0800.
Walk-in office hours to pick up/drop off -- Power of Attorney’s, Estate document worksheets, family law worksheets or to schedule appointments, the office will be open Monday – Thursday 0730 – 1100 and 1300 – 1530; Friday 0730-1100.
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Legal Assistance is staffed by licensed and fully-accredited attorneys who are Marine officers and are familiar with many of the problems military members and their families face. Additionally, we have two civilian paralegals who are fully certified Notaries Public in the State of North Carolina, and two enlisted clerks who assist with client intake and drafting your important legal documents.
Legal Assistance is a professional environment. Clients seeking assistance must dress in appropriate civilian attire in compliance with AirStaO 1020.3E. Clients are expected show the same professionalism, respect and courtesy to the staff of Legal Assistance that they would show to a paid attorney. This will allow Legal Assistance to focus on the legal problem at hand and efficiently analyze your options.
Legal Assistance can help with:
• Estate planning: Wills, Powers of Attorney, and Advance Directives
• Family law: Separation, uncontested divorce, child support and child custody, step-parent adoptions
• Leasing disputes: Military termination, security deposits, preparing for small claims court
• Legal financial issues: Credit checks and corrections, negotiations with businesses out in town
Legal Assistance cannot:
• Help with criminal matters (military or civilian)
• Assist regarding tickets on base
• Appear in court or any administrative board for you
• Help with claims against the government
• Act as a mediator or work with both sides
Eligibility
Our first priority is mission readiness for operational units, especially deploying units. Other services may be limited or suspended for deployment briefs. Predeployment services are also available for reservists in pre-mobilization status. Individualized legal assistance services are available on a limited basis according to the following priority:
1. Legal Assistance is intended primarily for active duty personnel
2. Dependents of active duty personnel as resources permit
3. Reserve personnel on active duty for more than 30 days as resources permit
4. Dependents of activated reserve personnel as resources permit
5.Retired personnel and spouses as resources permit
Hours
• Walk-in Legal Assistance: Limited Availability Monday through Friday 0730-1100. Availability follows priority of eligible clients
• Powers of Attorney: Monday through Friday 0730-1100 and 1300-1630.
• Wills and Advance Directives
• Wills and Advance Directives: Pick up a worksheet Monday through Friday 0730-1100 and 1300-1630. You will receive an appointment to execute your will after turning in the will worksheet. There is no longer a mandatory brief to get a will.
• Notary Public: Monday through Friday 0730-1100 and 1300-1630.
Servicemembers Civil Relief Act:
• The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act is a federal law which allows servicemembers to:
• Lower pre-service interest to 6%
• Stay civil court proceedings 90 days
• Terminate leases early if PCS or deployment for 90 days or more
• Terminate cell phone contracts and retain phone number if deploying for 90 days or more
• If you have any questions regarding your rights under the SCRA, please come to
the Legal Assistance Office
Will Information:
• Generally, a will is not necessary if you:
• Don't want a will
• Are married with no children
• Are single and are giving everything to your parents
• Own no real property
• Do not intend to disinherit someone
• Have no special bequests
• Generally, a will is necessary if you:
• Are married with children
• Are unmarried with children
• Own real property
• Intend to disinherit someone
• Have special bequests
• If you want a will, please come by the Legal Assistance Office and retrieve a will worksheet.
Advance Directives
• Advance Directives and Health Care Powers of Attorney allow you to state your wishes for medical treatment in the event that you are
incapacitated, and authorize an agent to make those decisions for you. If you are interested in getting an Advance Directive and Health Care Power of Attorney, you can receive one from the Legal Assistance Office.
Preventative Law:
• For legal resources and preventative law information please see the excellent resources provided at Camp Lejeune's website