Military Committee

Military Committee

Scope

Studies issues relating to clients in the military and their families, including procedural issues unique to the military, and custody and visitation, divorce, alimony/support, military pension division and Survivor Benefit Plan issues affecting military divorces. Reviews state and federal legislation and initiatives where ABA policy is affected, and teaches lawyers how to deal with military matters affecting state court legal disputes.

Resources

We have recently alphabetized our resources, and added a new topic (Relocation). Meeting minutes can be found at the end of the listings.

CLE Program Materials
These course materials are from programs presented for JAG Officers and other individuals who assist military personnel with family law issues. The programs contain information on divorce, domestic violence, custody, jurisdiction problems and more.

Military Divorce CLE - presented May 2006
A Short Course in Military Family Law Issues - presented September 2005

LEGAL EAGLE Client Handouts

Military Custody and Visitation Legislation
The Section is working to support those states which want to update and improve their laws protecting military personnel and their children in visitation and custody cases. Here are some resources which may be useful in drafting such legislation.

Drafting Military Custody & Vistitation Legislation

Operation Stand-By
Operation Stand-By is a project of the ABA Section of Family Law Military Committee. Those who sign up agree to take calls, e-mail or other correspondence from JAG officers and answer inquiries about family law issues in their state. Please do not provide this list to your clients as a referral list.

Operation Stand-By List

For more information about Operation Stand-By, please contact the list administrator, Melissa Kucinski.

Relocation Resources

"State Statutes on Relocation," Family Advocate, 28.4, 2006.
"Relocation of the Custodial Parent: A State-by-State Survey," Divorce Litigation, 18. 6, June 2006.
"Oh, the Places You'll (Possibly Go!) Recent Case Law on Relocation of the Custodial Parent," Divorce Litigation, 16. 9, September 2004.

Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA)
This information is pertinent to the public, judges, and military personnel.

Servicemembers Civil Relief Act Article by Mark Sullivan
A Judge's Guide to the SCRA (includes judge's checklist)
An Agency Guide to the SCRA

SILENT PARTNER Handouts
These handouts are a lawyer-to-lawyer resource for military legal assistance attorneys and civilian lawyers. It is an attempt to explain general issues about military family law - in plain English, without too many footnotes, and in a way that lawyers who are short on time and topic knowledge can easily understand. These information letters are written by Committee Chair Mark Sullivan of Raleigh, NC, and are listed in alphabetical order by title.

TAKE-1 Handouts
These handouts are client information letters prepared by Mark Sullivan for the North Carolina State Bar's Standing Committee on Legal Assistance for Military Personnel. They are available at all military legal assistance offices in North Carolina and may be reprinted and/or adapted by other states, by civilian practitioners and by other military legal offices with an acknowledgment as follows: This handout is based on a TAKE-1 information letter prepared by the North Carolina State Bar's Standing Committee on Legal Assistance for Military Personnel. It is reprinted with permission from the Committee.

Committee Meeting Minutes
View minutes from past Military Committee meetings.

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