Legal Assistance
MCAS Miramar Logo
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
San Diego, California

HOURS OF OPERATION

MCAS Miramar Legal Assistance Monday- Friday: 0800-1100 & 1300-1600

Notary Hours:

Monday-Friday, 0800-1100 & 1300-1600

New Client/Walk-In Hours:

MCAS Miramar: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 0800-1100

MCRD San Diego: Wednesdays, 0800-1100

***Please arrive before 1030 to allow time to complete an intake form and for our staff to conduct a conflict check***

If you are unable to visit us during our normal hours of operation, please contact us at 858-307-1656 or miramarlegalassist@usmc.mil so that we can work together to accommodate you.

MCAS MIRAMAR LEGAL ASSISTANCE
HOURS OF OPERATION


Monday-Friday: 0800-1100 & 1300-1600
Notary Hours:
MCAS Miramar: Monday-Friday, 0800-1100 & 1300-1600
MCRD San Diego: Wednesdays, 0800-1100

New Client/Walk-In Hours:
MCAS Miramar: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 0800-1100*
MCRD San Diego: Wednesdays, 1300-1600**
*Please arrive before 1030 to allow time to complete an intake form and for our staff to conduct a conflict check
**Please arrive before 1530 to allow time to complete an intake form and for our staff to conduct a conflict check
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MCAS MIRAMAR LEGAL ASSISTANCE

HOURS OF OPERATION

Monday-Friday: 0800-1100 & 1300-1600

Notary Hours:

MCAS Miramar (bldg. 6275): Monday-Friday, 0800-1100 & 1300-1600

MCRD San Diego (Satellite Office, bldg. 12): Wednesdays, 1300-1600

 

New Client/Walk-In Hours:

MCAS Miramar (bldg. 6275): Tuesdays & Thursdays, 0800-1100*

MCRD San Diego (Satellite Office, bldg. 12): Wednesdays, 1300-1600**

*Please arrive before 1030 to allow time to complete an intake form and for our staff to conduct a conflict check

**Please arrive before 1530 to allow time to complete an intake form and for our staff to conduct a conflict check

 

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OFFICE CLOSURES (UPDATED 11/14/2023)

THE LEGAL ASSISTANCE OFFICE ABOARD MCAS MIRAMAR WILL BE CLOSED ON:

 Thursday & Friday, 23-24 November 2023 (Thanksgiving 96)

 Monday & Tuesday, 25-26 December 2023 (Christmas 96)

 Monday & Tuesday, 1-2 January 2024 (New Years 96)

 Monday & Tuesday, 15-16 January 2024 (MLK 96)

 

THE LEGAL ASSISTANCE OFFICE ABOARD MCRD SAN DIEGO WILL BE CLOSED ON:

 Wednesday, 22 November 2023

 Wednesday, 27 December 2023

 Wednesday, 3 January 2023

 Wednesday, 17 January 2024

 

 

Please email miramarlegalassist@usmc.mil or call 858-307-1656 with any questions.

MISSION STATEMENT

The Legal Services Support Team is tasked with providing free attorney and paralegal assistance to uniformed service members, dependents, retirees and other eligible clients regarding personal legal matters. "Family members" or "dependents" are those persons identified in the sponsor's service record and/or who possess a valid United States Uniformed Services Identification and Privilege Card. Legal Assistance attorneys are available to assist clients with step-parent adoption, child support, consumer problems, contracts, debt and credit problems, immigration advice, wills, living wills, name changes, marital separation agreements, spousal support, and notarizations.

Contact Information:

858-307-1656
DSN 307-1656
miramarlegalassist@usmc.mil

Locations:

MCAS Miramar, Building 6275

(Next to the Navy Marine Corps Relief Society Thrift Shop and across from NBHC Miramar (Base Medical) OR use Google Maps: “Navy Marine Corps Relief Society Thrift Shop”)

MCRD San Diego, Building 12

(Across from Gym - enter through the “Tax Center” or “Legal Assistance” hatch facing the parade deck)

WALK-IN SERVICES

First-time clients seeking legal advice should come to our walk-in hours.

If you have already been seen by an attorney for your legal issue,
please contact that attorney directly or work with the clerk to make a follow-up

appointment – DO NOT come during Walk-In hours as that time is reserved for NEW CLIENTS ONLY.

WALK-IN HOURS

MCAS Miramar: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 0800-1100*

MCRD San Diego: Wednesdays, 0800-1100*

*Please arrive before 1030 to allow time to complete an intake form and for our staff to conduct a conflict check***

 

If you are unable to visit us during our normal hours of operation, please contact us at 858-307-1656 or miramarlegalassist@usmc.mil so that we can work together to accommodate you.

 

PLEASE BRING:

- Military Identification Card.

- All documentation related to your case/legal issue.

- A list of relevant information and questions you wish to ask the attorney.

- PATIENCE! You may be required to sit in our waiting area until an attorney becomes available to meet with you. Thank you in advance for understanding!

DISSOLUTION (DIVORCE) CLASS

The brief covers basic California law concerning the division of assets and debts of a married couple. The brief also discusses the law regarding child care and parenting plan issues. Please attend the brief prior to coming to our Walk-In Hours

The Dissolution Brief is held every Tuesday and Thursday at 0745 via ZOOM. Please email Mr. Tracey Clark at tracey.clark@usmc.mil to register to attend the brief.

 

Remember: clients seeking legal assistance with their dissolution cases MUST attend the Dissolution Brief prior to showing up for our walk-in hours.


We also encourage you to visit the following link to explore self-help options available to you immediately: https://www.courts.ca.gov/selfhelp.htm 

DO YOU QUALIFY FOR SUMMARY DISSOLUTION?

A summary dissolution is a simpler way to end a marriage or domestic partnership for couples who qualify and are able to work together. A summary dissolution becomes final 6 months after you file with the court. Find out if you qualify:

https://selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/divorce-california/summary-dissolution/qualifications

Visit our office to discuss further with a licensed attorney

CITIZENSHIP & IMMIGRATION

- There is no immigration brief requirement, new clients should come to our MCAS Miramar walk-in hours:

MCAS Miramar: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 0800-1100*

*Please arrive before 1030 to allow time to complete an intake form and for our staff to conduct a conflict check***

Estate Planning

Our office is currently only providing SIMPLE estate planning services.

We are unable to create trusts.

Wills packets, pick-up and drop offs can be done at any time during working hours.

We will schedule an appointment for you to execute your will upon receipt of your completed will worksheet.

**Note: There is a two week turn around once the will worksheet package has been turned in.

DO YOU NEED A TRUST?

When you die in California and if you have more than $150,000.00 in assets and you have a will, the will must be probated. The probate fees in California are very expensive. The probate fees are set by statute. Additionally, the fees can be claimed by both the attorney and the executor of the estate. Therefore, the fees below can easily be doubled. The statutory fees for probating a will are as follows for the GROSS value of your estate:

4% OF FIRST $100,000

3% OF NEXT $100,000

2% OF NEXT $800,000

1% OF NEXT $9M

For example, if you have a $500,000 estate your attorney fees will be $13,000. If you have a $1M estate, your attorney fees will be $23,000. Again, under California law, the fees can be claimed by both the attorney and the executor of the estate so these fees can easily double.

On the other hand, in California a trust avoids a court-governed administration (probate) of your estate if you die with or without a will and your assets total more than $150,000. A probate is time-consuming, expensive and public. A probate proceeding is unnecessary if you take the appropriate steps to set up your estate plan before you die. Probate fees are based on the fair market value of your assets, not the equity you have in those assets. The cost of a trust and the fees associated with a trust administration are typically considerably less than the costs and fees incurred in a probate proceeding.

A trust also avoids a court-governed administration (conservatorship) of your estate if you are alive but are incapacitated and cannot manage your own financial affairs. Your family member or loved one may be able to informally carry on your business for a time but eventually there will be an event or a transaction that will be blocked because that person does not have the legal authority to conduct that type of business.

A trust allows for the private transfer of the management of your affairs to your designated successor trustee without the court's involvement and for significantly less fees.

When you get a trust drafted, the attorney will most likely also draft a Healthcare Power of Attorney and a Springing Durable Power of Attorney for you. A healthcare power of attorney is a legal document by which you authorize someone to make decisions on medical matters if you are ever incapacitated (e.g., in a coma). A springing durable power of attorney is a legal document by which you authorize someone to legally act in your name. Springing means that the power of attorney only takes effect if you are incapacitated, such as being in a coma. Durable means that the power of attorney stays in effect despite your incapacitation.

Generally, if your gross assets exceed $150,000.00 our office will most likely not draft you a will.

You need a trust. Our Legal Assistance Office does not draft trusts.

Finally, please be advised that we are not an estate planning experts. We urge you to see an attorney that specializes in estate planning. Our office provides general legal advice. Estate planning is an extremely complex area of the law that is state specific. By that we mean the laws related to distribution of your estate following your passing in California are very different than the laws of every other state.

TRAVELING LEGAL BRIEFS

Preventive Law Briefs, Wills and Power of Attorney Briefs, and Pre-deployment Briefs should be scheduled two weeks in advance. Please contact us at 858-307-1656 or via email at miramarlegalassist@usmc.mil (include topic, unit name, number of attendees, time, and place of the brief in your request).

SERVICES PROVIDED BY LEGAL ASSISTANCE:

- Consumer Law Issues (eg. credit card debt, identity theft, car loans, foreclosures, car contracts, etc.)
- Contract Disputes
- Landlord/Tenant Disputes
- Review of Contracts (e.g., to purchase a car)
- Non-Support Issues
- Family Law Issues
- Wills (Packet, Pick Up/Drop- off)
- SCRA
- Adoptions
- Name Changes

SERVICES NOT PROVIDED BY LEGAL ASSISTANCE

- Living Trusts

- BCNR Petitions (LINK TO DSO PAGE)

- Conservatorships

- Traffic Violations

- Criminal Matters (LINK TO DSO PAGE)

- NJP Counseling (LINK TO DSO PAGE)

- Fitness Report Rebuttals (LINK TO DSO PAGE)

- DUI Counseling (LINK TO DSO PAGE)

- Claims Against the Government 

 

OTHER JOINT LEGAL ASSISTANCE OFFICES

MCB Camp Pendleton’s Legal Assistance

(22 Area) Building 22161
Camp Pendleton, CA 92055
Phone Number: 760-725-6558
Webpage: https://www.pendleton.marines.mil/Staff-Agencies/Legal-Services-Support-Team/Legal-Assistance/Services-Hours/

 

Region Legal Service Office (RLSO) Southwest
Mailing Address:
3395 Sturtevant St., Suite 9
San Diego, CA 92136
Phone Numbers:
Comm: (619) 556-0049
DSN: 526-0049
Fax: (619) 556-1674
Website: https://www.jag.navy.mil/legal_services/rlso/rlso_southwest.htm

 

Marine Corps Air Station Miramar