Legal Assistance

Naval Air Station Whidbey Island has a branch of the Region Legal Service Office located on the main base in Building 2739. The address is 1045 Midway St., Room 112B, Oak Harbor, WA 98278.

Services:

• Notary and power of attorney services are offered between 12 to 4 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesday, and Thursdays.
• Walk in Attorney Services have been temporarily suspended due to the attorney retiring.
• All other services by appointment only and facilitated virtually via email at NW_LA_NASWI@navy.mil or by phone at 360-257-2126.

For more information about legal assistance services, visit the Navy Judge Advocate General website, or by copying this link into your browser https://www.jag.navy.mil/legal-services/northwest/.

Eligibility for Services

• Active-duty personnel
• Reservists and members of the National Guard on active duty for 30 days or more, and their dependents; or 29 days or fewer for emergency cases only. Provide services for pre-mobilization, mobilization and post-demobilization. Post-mobilization eligibility is for twice the length of the mobilization.
• Dependents of active-duty personnel
• Dependents of personnel who died while on active duty (limited)
• Retired military personnel and their dependents
• Dependents of deceased retired members
• Department of Defense civilian personnel deploying for at least 30 days or assigned to a foreign country, and their dependents
• Other eligible persons authorized by the JAG

Types of Services:

• Power of Attorney and notary services (completed without appointment)
• Basic will and other basic estate planning preparation
• Advance medical directives and health care powers of attorney (with completed will packet)
• Domestic relations, including divorce, separation, child custody, nonsupport, and paternity (advice only, no paperwork will be drafted)
• Military rights and benefits
• Stepparent adoptions
• Identity theft and credit report disputes
• Immigration and naturalization assistance
• Landlord-tenant relations
• Indebtedness
• Servicemembers' Civil Relief Act powers

Limited or No services provided for:

• Private business matters
• Representation in court
• Assistance in matters against the United States government
• Employment matters
• Real estate contracts or other contract reviews

Appointments

To schedule an appointment, call 360-257-2126. Do not expect to be seen the same day the appointment is made. With any type of appointment that you make with the Region Legal Service Office, submit any document(s) that may pertain to your issue. This will help the attorney in assisting you with your situation. Also, if you have young children, make arrangements for someone to take care of them prior to coming to your appointment and attending any of the seminars and workshops. *All legal advice is provided remotely by phone.*

Dissolution of Marriage

The RLSO gives you the tools to allow you to do the dissolution process yourself inexpensively. Once you have the forms completed, you may submit them to the clerk at the courthouse.

Assistance is limited to uncontested divorces. If the divorce becomes contested, then you may have to hire your own civilian attorney at your own expense.

Wills and Estate Planning

All wills and estate planning documents require two appointments, normally two weeks apart. The first appointment will be a draft interview and the second, the will oath/execution after the attorney has drafted the documents. Allow at least one hour for the initial appointment, and 30 minutes for the second.

Deploying personnel and active-duty emergency cases receive priority. To schedule, call 360-257-2126. The follow-up will oath/execution appointment will be scheduled after the first appointment once you, as the client, have reviewed your estate plan for accuracy.

For non-deploying and non-emergency cases, call 360-257-2126 to schedule an appointment for a will draft interview.

Household Goods Claims Services/Claims Against the United States

All personal property damage claims are filed through the DPS website within 180 days of delivery. For assistance with filing a personal property claim, contact the personnel claims act unit help line at 888-897-8217, 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday. You may also visit the DPS website and the Judge Advocate General website for claims information.

Claims against the United States are managed by the Office of the Judge Advocate General, Code 15, claims and tort litigation division. This division has worldwide responsibility for processing different types of claims under various statutes and regulations. They develop and implement claims policy for the JAG and the Secretary of the Navy, and processes all claims brought for or against the Navy.

For all claims issues, please visit the JAG website.

Defense Service Office Southwest, Everett Detachment

Defense services are offered remotely (by phone) through the Defense Service Office detachment located in Everett. To obtain defense services, contact the defense office by phone at 425-304-4549, or email at navylegaldefensenw@navy.mil

Defense advises sailors on the following issues and concerns:

• Nonjudicial punishment
• Courts-martial
• Administrative separation
• Filing a complaint or grievance against a command
• Security clearance issues
• *They do not advise on civilian criminal charges.* This requires a civilian attorney at your own expense.