Office of the Staff Judge Advocate (SJA)

Superintendent's Staff

Office of the Staff Judge Advocate

The Office of the Staff Judge Advocate provides timely legal advice, service and support to the command and staff of the United States Military Academy and any tenant-partner unit. It also provides legal services and preliminary legal advice to active-duty and retired service members, their family members, and other individuals entitled to receive legal assistance. Power of attorney drafting and notary services are available on a walk-in basis. Attorney consults require an appointment.

Office of the Staff Judge Advocate
U.S. Military Academy
Official Mail and Distribution
Mahan Hall, Floor A
West Point, NY 10996-1095

Office: (845) 938-3205
Fax: (845) 938-2390
DSN: 688-3205

SJA Divisions:

Military Justice:
- For questions regarding military justice matters or magistrate court matters
- Email
- Office: (845) 938-6361
Administrative and Civil Law:
- For questions regarding legal reviews or administrative law matters (e.g., conferences, ethics, or contracts)
- Email
- (845) 938-8570
USMA and West Point Legal Assistance Office:
- Mission:
  - To assist eligible clients with their personal legal affairs in a timely and professional manner by meeting their needs for information on personal legal matters and resolving their personal legal problems whenever possible.
- Location:
  - Building 622 at Buffalo Soldier Field. Navigate to the main entrance, walk through the double doors, take a left, and walk through the sign that reads “Office of Staff Judge Advocate.” Our office will be on the left side once you walk through the entrance doors.
- Contact:
  - Outside of notary support our office is by appointment only. Please email or call 845.938.4541, to start the process of getting an appointment
- Walk in hours for notary support:
  - Monday – Friday 0900-1130 and 1300-1630 (Federal Holidays off).
  - If the documents that need to be notarized are complex, require witnesses, or are lengthy (greater than five pages), please schedule an appointment with our office.
- Eligible Clients include:
  - Active Duty Servicemembers (including Cadets)
  - Retirees (receiving retiree pay)
  - Certain Reservists and National Guardsmen (if activating for a mobilization longer than twenty-nine (29) days or are currently on Title 10 Orders)*
  - Civilians against whom liability has been recommended under AR 735-5 or who are deploying to a combat zone or on a contingency operation.
  - Gold Star Family Members
  - Dependents of Eligible Persons
  - ***Valid Military Identification Card is Required in all cases***
- Assistance is provided for the following case types:
  - Notary Support
  - Family Law*
  - Estate Planning* (Simple Wills)
  - Real Property*
  - Consumer Transactions*
  - Civilian Administrative Issues*
  - Military Administrative Issues (LOD investigations. FLIPLs, OER’s, NCOER’s, Relief for Cause, Unfavorable Information, Article 138’s, IG activities and procedures, UQR’s, correction of military records, and other investigations)*
  - USMA specific Cadet Defense Actions (Honor Investigations, Article 10 proceedings, Academic Boards, Medical Separations)*
  - Special Victims Counsel (SVC)
  - ***Army regulations create limitations on assistance with these matters. A Legal Assistance attorney may not be able to assist you with every aspect of your legal issue.***
- Legal Readiness IS Readiness! Navigate through questions in the Warfighter Legal Readiness Program (WLRP) to better understand your legal readiness and generate a personalized checklist you can take to our office or your local legal assistance office for action. The WLRP guides you in identifying your legal needs. Legal assistance attorneys are prepared to work with you to address these needs to ensure you can focus on the mission.
Claims:
- For questions regarding claims
- Mahan Hall
- Hours: 8 a.m.-noon and 1-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday
- Email
- Office: (845) 938-2767
- Fax: (845) 938-2726
- If you are looking for a Tricare or Keller Army Community Hospital medical lien, please email claims@westpoint.edu.
Trial Defense Services:
- Thayer Hall, Room #206, 601 Cullum Road, West Point, NY, 10996
  - For Active Duty/USAR AGR Soldiers in the Northeast seeking legal counsel regarding courts-martial, Article 15, chapters, separation boards, boards of inquiry, misconduct investigations, conduct investigations, administrative reduction boards, suspect rights (CID/MP, AR-15-6 investigations, Commander's Inquiries, etc. for UCMJ Violations)
  - Email
  - (845) 938-0104
  - For Active Duty not stationed in the Northeast, US; USAR TPU; National Guard or NG-SAD Soldiers: jagcnet.army.mil/TDS
USMA Special Victim Counsel:
- (845) 938-9824
- Website
- Hours: 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday. Evenings and weekends: TBD on a case-by-case basis

General SJA Divisions Information:

If someone does not immediately answer, leave a voicemail with your name, contact information, and a brief message describing your situation. Messages are reviewed every 2 hours during normal business hours. Please allow 24 hours for our team to respond.

Emails are checked periodically throughout the day. Please identify your affiliation with the military in the email (service member, retiree, dependent, cadet, etc.) and include a short description of the type of legal matter you would like assistance with. Please allow 24 hours for our team to respond.

Walk-in services: Walk-in services include notarizations and most ministerial services. Please contact us if you are uncertain if what you need cannot be provided on a walk-in basis.

Services requiring an appointment: All other non-ministerial services require an appointment.

Additional Contact Information:

Chief, Military Justice, (845) 938-6379

Special Victim Prosecutor (SVP), (845) 938-6365
- The SVP acts as the senior trial counsel for all court-martials involving sexual assault. The SVP is also the SME on all sexual assaults and violations of Article 120 of the UCMJ. They will provide guidance to the command and CID as necessary.
United States Corps of Cadets (USCC) Brigade Judge Advocate (BJA), (845) 938-7875
- The USCC BJA provides guidance to commanders on issues related to investigators, administrative proceedings, and UCMJ action involving members of the Corps of Cadets, as well as USCC staff and faculty.
U.S. Military Academy Trial Counsel/Special Assistant United States Attorney (SAUSA), (845) 938-6366
- The U.S. Army Garrison Trial Counsel provides guidance to commanders on issues related to investigations, administrative proceedings, and UCMJ action involving all West Point personnel not assigned to USCC. The SAUSA pursues criminal prosecution of personnel who commit traffic offenses and criminal infractions on West Point.
Trial Counsel, (845) 938-7668

The USMA courtroom is located at 626 Swift Rd., 2nd Floor.

US Magistrate Court cases are held at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court Building, 2nd floor, 355 Main St., Poughkeepsie, New York.