Introduction to the SB Legal Office
The Schofield Barracks Legal Office provides a wide range of legal support services to the military community. As a "legal assistance office," the legal office at Schofield mainly provides assistance in preventive law – that is, the legal office focuses on helping people take steps to prevent legal problems before they arise, rather than providing defense for allegations after a problem has already happened. The legal assistance attorneys at Schofield offer free, brief consultations to provide general guidance and information, and can help clients fill out forms that can be filed for common legal issues . However, the attorneys at Schofield cannot represent clients in cases that are adversarial against parties outside of the military (such as other civilians, civilian employers, apparent adversaries, etc.).
The Schofield legal office is located at 650 McCornack Road, building 560, at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. The legal office is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the personnel are credentialed under Article 27(b) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), meaning that the lawyers are subject to professional conduct rules of both the state of Hawaii and Department of Defense, and maintain ethical standards applicable to both.
Types of Services Offered at the Legal Office
The Schofield Barracks Legal Assistance Office helps military personnel and their families with a wide range of legal matters. Active duty members of all branches, spouses, and eligible family members are entitled to use these services. The office can assist with family law issues such as adoption, name changes, and obtaining child support. For landlord/tenant issues, they will assist with both tenant and landlord rights and responsibilities. A one-time power of attorney can be provided for various purposes on both a limited and general basis. With regard to consumer protection, assistance is offered for such issues as debt collections, credit reporting, and auto leases.
The office also assists with tax matters for the year in which the service member reported for duty and they are currently stationed at Schofield Barracks. This includes general tax advice, tax return preparation for military personnel, filing Hawaii state tax returns, and extensions of time for filing the 1040 tax return.
In addition to these services, the office can refer personnel to the Military and Family Readiness Center for special workshops and other legal seminars.
Who is Eligible for Legal Assistance
As per Army regulation AR 27-3, only the following individuals are entitled to legal assistance:
Active duty members of the Army on active duty or members of the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard while on Full-Time National Guard Duty.
Family members of active duty Army members, including family members of members of the Army National Guard and the Army Reserve when ordered to active duty under Title 10 of United States Code.
Members of the Army not on active duty who are in the grade of E-5 or above.
Members of other military services assigned to and present at a military installation with an Army Legal Assistance Office when designated by the Staff Judge Advocate as eligible for legal assistance.
Certain civilians when authorized by the Staff Judge Advocate, Army of the Republic of Korea, the Commander, U.S. Forces, Japan, Combatant Commanders, or the Chief, Litigation Division, U.S. Army Litigation Center.
Dependent survivors of deceased personnel covered above.
Guard and Reserve members of the United States Public Health Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on active duty in the service of the United States; and dependents of those members.
Appointment Instructions
The majority of legal services are by appointment only. The Family Law Section provides one free estate plan per year for all eligible clients. All other appointments in the Family Section (to include powers of attorney, consumer and housing matters, and married name changes) are a $25 copay. The Estate Planning Section provides an unlimited amount of basic estate plans per year for clients on a sliding scale based on rank . In the Miscellaneous and Consumer/Family Sections, make an appointment by calling (808) 655-8607. Appointments are encouraged in Criminal and Appeals, Litigation, and International Law. An appointment may also be made by calling (808) 527-4855. To cancel or to verify an appointment, call (808) 655-8607.
Commonly Asked Questions
What are the eligibility requirements for services at the U.S. Army Schofield Barracks Legal Office?
Active-duty Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine personnel in Hawaii, their family members, U.S. Coast Guard personnel (active duty and family members) on permanent change of station (PCS) orders, and reserve component personnel on active duty for special work (ADSW) or active guard-reserve (AGR) assignments are eligible for our services.
How do you make an appointment?
An active-duty military member may call to make an appointment with a legal assistance attorney. Walk-ins are normally discouraged; however at times where the facility is open it allows walk-in clients to be seen if the overall workload permits. If there is an open spot in the schedule or if there is a cancellation, the team may be able to take walk-in visits, but it is never guaranteed.
It is not uncommon for the legal assistance attorney to not have an available appointment within the next two weeks, so to save time it is best to call the legal office to confirm when the next available appointment is.
All appointments are individual and one-to-one. A member should not expect to share an appointment, unless directed to do so by the attorney.
Can I be seen without an appointment?
This is highly discouraged. At times where the facility is open it allows walk-in clients to be seen, if the overall workload permits. However, it is never guaranteed. If there is open spot in the schedule, or it is open to walk-ins, and the client arrives prior to schedule, he/she may be able to be seen. It is not recommended to appear without an appointment unless it has been confirmed that the front desk is open to accepting walk-ins.
Contact Information and Operating Hours
Currently, the Schofield Barracks Legal Office can be contacted via their main phone number at (808) 655-8607. The Schofield Barracks Legal Office can also be reached by fax at (808) 655-8258. Army personnel may receive legal assistance services in-person at any of the Hawaii Army Legal Assistance Offices. Specifically, legal assistance services are provided to Active Duty members of the Army and their dependents at any Oahu legal assistance office located at Fort Shafter , Schofield Barracks, Schofield Barracks, and Kaneohe Bay. Their office on Fort Shafter is located at Building 520, First Floor, Fort Shafter, Hawaii 96858. The current hours of operation at the Schofield Barracks Legal Assistance Office is Mondays through Thursdays from 0730-1630. On Fridays, their hours of operation are from 0730-1300. The legal assistance office is closed on government holidays.