A Navy servicemember’s ex-wife had primary custody of their young son. However, after their divorce, the ex-wife developed a severe substance abuse problem, and she was arrested on multiple occasions on felony drug and violent crimes. Because of this situation, the servicemember wanted to gain custody of his son, so he could provide a safe home. The servicemember’s military attorney referred this matter to the ABA Military Pro Bono Project, which located an attorney who offered to help the servicemember pro bono. The volunteer attorney successfully helped the servicemember obtain a court order that awarded him sole parental responsibility. The servicemember is extremely grateful and appreciative for the volunteer attorney’s help. Not only is he relieved that his son will now have a safe home, but he is also excited about spending time with his son camping, fishing, painting, going to the zoo, and playing soccer and T-ball.
A soldier was the presumed legal father of a young child. However, after several years of treating the child as his son, he was informed that another man is the biological father, and the biological father was seeking to dissolve the soldier’s legal paternity. The soldier and his family had been very active in the child’s life, and he believed that it would be in the child’s best interest for legal paternity not to be disturbed. The soldier discussed this issue with a military attorney, who then referred this case to the ABA Military Pro Bono Project, which connected the soldier to a volunteer attorney. The volunteer attorney took this case to trial, and successfully helped the soldier retain his legal paternity, allowing the soldier to continue his paternal relationship with the child.
While a soldier was away from his family for training, his daughter was in a major accident that required an expensive emergency surgery. The soldier’s wife was coerced into signing documents concerning insurance and medical bills at the hospital before the emergency surgery. The soldier’s family needed assistance in negotiating the debt connected to the medical bills. The soldier discussed this matter with a military attorney, who then referred this case to the ABA Military Pro Bono Project, which connected the soldier’s family to a volunteer attorney. The volunteer attorney resolved the insurance debt collection issue such that the family no longer owed any debt for this surgery.
A Marine and his family entered into a residential lease agreement. Soon after moving into the apartment, they discovered that the apartment was infested. The landlord was notified and the county’s health and human services agency confirmed the infestation. Despite spraying insecticide several times, the apartment remains infested, causing potential medical problems for the family’s young children, so the military family stopped paying rent. The family then faced an unlawful detainer action from the landlord. An attorney registered with the ABA Military Pro Bono Project volunteered to assist this family and successfully helped establish a positive settlement for the military family.
Successfully Assisted Soldier with Child Custody Matter
A soldier’s child lived with the child’s mother, and the soldier was stationed in another state. When the soldier visited his child, he learned that the child was not living in a safe home, as it involved drug use and physical abuse. The soldier went to a military attorney to discuss his concern about the safety of his child and his desire to seek a custody order. The soldier’s military attorney referred the soldier’s case to the ABA Military Pro Bono Project, which located a volunteer attorney who successfully obtained a custody order for the soldier.
A young Marine scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan received notice that he had a civil claim against him of over $200,000. The claim was brought by the Marine’s insurance company, alleging that the Marine was negligent in operating a vehicle, causing over $200,000 in damages. However, at the time of the accident, the Marine was not in the state where the accident occurred and he did not even have a driver’s license. The ABA Military Pro Bono Project successfully located a volunteer attorney to help this Marine. This attorney was able to clear up this matter and the action was dismissed. It was discovered that one of the Marine’s relatives, with a similar name, was the actual individual involved in this accident.
Marine Received Pro Bono Help with Step-Child Adoption
A Marine wanted to adopt his step-child, as the child’s biological father had no involvement in the child’s life. The Marine discussed this matter with a military legal assistance attorney, who referred the case to the ABA Military Pro Bono Project. The Project located a volunteer attorney who spent a great deal of time helping the Marine with the adoption process and successfully completed the step-child adoption for the Marine.
