In navigating the complex legal landscape of military life, knowing when to seek the guidance of a lawyer can be critical. From deployment-related issues to benefits disputes, the challenges faced by military personnel and their families often require specialized legal expertise.
In this guide, we explore the situations in which hiring a lawyer is essential for protecting the rights and interests of service members, veterans, and their loved ones. Knowing when to get legal support can make all the difference in securing a favorable outcome. Call our SC military attorneys today at (864) 618-2323.
The United States Army has been around since June 14, 1775. Since that time, the Army has had to deal with disciplinary among Soldiers to keep the good order and discipline among the ranks. This is credited to Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben a Prussian Military leader. This was the basis of discipline that is still taught today in the US Army.
Commanders have applied this education to keep the good order and discipline among the ranks by using a system of tools that was started as the Articles of War in 1775, but in 1950 it was signed by President Harry Truman becoming the Uniformed Code of Military Justice.
Should You Hire a Military Lawyer?
The unification of the code set how the US Armed Forces would be able to handle discipline. The first tool given was the Article 15 also known as Non-Judicial Punishment. Commanders inform a Soldier of the intent to take corrective action on the infraction the Soldier has allegedly committed.
Soldiers can talk to a free charge military attorney, but just like a public defender, the military attorney has a large case load. Consulting an Attorney that has working knowledge of the UCMJ and the due process rights could be in your best interest when it comes to getting help with giving the right defense when presenting it to the Commander.
How an Attorney Can Help With an Article 15 Hearing
So, the question arises, if free attorney is available to me, then why do I need to hire a lawyer? A hired attorney is there to represent your best interest in the Article 15/NJP proceeding. The obtained counsel can be your spokesman in the process which can almost always change the outcome. Articles 15/NJP’s may not sound detrimental to your career but the secondary effects can be.
First, if the Soldier is reduced, and they have a certain number of years in the Army, they can pass a retention control point and be forced to separate from the Army. This action would cause not allowing the Soldier to retire and thus would have to find another job. This would also cause the Soldier not to receive retirement pay, and free healthcare that all Soldiers are entitled to when retiring from the Army.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Military Defense Attorneys
One Article 15/NJP doesn’t sound harmful, but for the reasonable amount of money it would cost you to obtain counsel, it can be a million-dollar decision down the road. It would always be in your best interest to hire an attorney to help you draft your response or be your spokesman to help save your career. This decision can save you millions of dollars in the end. This is worth thinking about if you get an Article 15/NJP.
Contact Touma law group at 864-618-2323 for our Greenville office or 803-879-4499 for our Columbia office.