Volunteer Attorneys Overturn Default Judgment against Sailor

The ex-husband of a sailor was upset about their recent divorce. In retaliation, he obtained a civil order of protection against the sailor, his ex-wife. Not only was the order granted based on false facts, but also it was granted by a default order, in violation of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). With this order, the sailor could have faced difficulties with performing her military duties—specifically, an upcoming deployment. The ABA Military Pro Bono Project connected this sailor with a law firm that offered to provide pro bono help. Over a period of a few months, attorneys at this law firm dedicated over 250 hours of pro bono assistance to this case, and they successfully overturned the default judgment that had been entered against the sailor.