At the beginning of each year, people often reconsider their life goals and initiate major changes in their lives. If these changes involve marital status, the Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland Legal Assistance Office may be able to help.
The legal office offers attorney-client consultations and printed informational brochures on a wide variety of family law issues: separation, divorce, annulment, common law marriage, same sex marriage, paternity, child custody, child support, spousal support and military family support.
The office also offers actual assistance in pro se divorce cases. The phrase “pro se” means clients represent themselves, without having formal representation by a private attorney. However, the Lackland Legal Office staff prepares all of the necessary documents, schedules the necessary appointments, provides all briefi ngs and provides a free attorney to finalize the case at the courthouse. Service members or their spouses may be eligible for the Lackland pro se divorce program if:
• Neither spouse is represented by a private lawyer
• One of the spouses has resided in the state of Texas for at least six months, and the county where the case will be fi led for at least 90 days
• Both spouses are in complete agreement regarding their desire to dissolve their marriage without alleging fault against each other
• Both spouses have agreed to the division ofassets and debts
• Neither spouse purchased or refinanced realestate during the marriage
• No military retirement benefits will be divided
• No children were born or adopted during the marriage, and neither spouse is pregnant
• Both spouses agree to sign all documents prepared by the Legal Office
• The client will remain in the jurisdiction long enough to appear for a brief court hearing to finalize the case.
The first step in the pro se process is for one, but not both, of the spouses to schedule an informational meeting with a Legal Assistance Attorney or Paralegal to discuss the divorce process. In order to prevent a potential conflict of interest, the legal office will provide assistance to that particular spouse for the remainder of the process.
Even if a client is not eligible to participate in the Lackland pro se divorce program, the JBSA-Lackland Legal Assistance Office can still provide legal consultations and can direct clients to additional resources. For more information about a family law issue, the divorce process, or how to find free forms online, please schedule an appointment to meet with a legal assistance attorney by calling