California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Central America, and Mexico. Headquartered in San Diego, California.

Legal assistance is available for consumer/financial affairs, disaster relief support and advice, family law, foreclosure advice and counseling, immigration, notary services, powers of attorney, landlord/tenant matters, Servicemembers' Civil Relief Act (SCRA), small claims court matters, special education law, victim assistance, and wills/estate planning.

Legal assistance is not available for personal business matters, criminal matters, or civilian employment issues (except for reservists seeking USERRA advice). Third-party advice (i.e. asking a question for someone else) is never permitted. Please visit the OJAG Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for more information on our services.

In order to promote the legal readiness of the deployable force, we prioritize services for deploying/mobilizing Service members and their authorized dependents.

We provide both remote and in-person services.

Contact our office: For questions about services not answered here, send us a message on our contact form: San Diego Legal Assistance Contact Form

Attorney Appointments: To schedule an appointment at the San Diego office, please fully complete an intake form. Send the completed intake form and a copy of your DoD ID to: sandiegola@us.navy.mil. You may also drop off an intake in person.

Note: Due to the volume of emails received, we do not respond to individual inquiries sent to our email. If you have questions that are not answered in the FAQs or on this webpage, send us a message at this link.

If you are requesting a will appointment, in addition to completing the intake form, you will need to complete and send in a will worksheet to sandiegola@us.navy.mil.

Active-Duty Walk-ins (Wednesday): We strongly recommend making an appointment to see an attorney. However, on Wednesdays between 0800-1000 and 1300-1430 we see active-duty clients (or their dependents) on a first-come, first-served basis. SPACE IS LIMITED and we cannot guarantee services for walk-in clients. Walk-in clients that exceed capacity will be invited to make an appointment. Wills and immigration assistance are NOT available on walk-in Wednesdays.

Notary services are available Monday-Thursday 0800-1130/1300-1500. To obtain a power of attorney, please click the “Special Power of Attorney” link below. Bring the unsigned power of attorney and two forms of unexpired identification to our office to obtain a notary. You must have the form printed prior to arrival.

Special Power of Attorney

A single session divorce seminar providing informational guidance on how to file for divorce in California is held every Tuesday and Thursday at 1300, Bldg. 56, onboard Naval Base San Diego. Registration is necessary to attend (see link below). Separating spouses may attend the seminar together. No attorney-client relationship with our office is established by attending the seminar. Individuals seeking to receive individual legal advice – which is not provided in the seminar – must complete an intake sheet in order to speak to an attorney.

Due to space restraints, a maximum of 20 individuals may attend each seminar session.

Tuesday 1300-1430: Divorce Video Overview and Initial Filing Paperwork

Thursday 1300-1430: Divorce Video Overview and Initial Filing Paperwork

Register for the seminar here.

San Diego-area commands preparing for deployment may request pre-deployment legal readiness briefs or will preparation services for groups of 20 or more. Pre-deployment legal readiness briefs and will preparation services should be scheduled at least 4 weeks in advance of the preferred date. For more information or to request a visit, please email rlso_la_pre-depl_brief@us.navy.mil and please be sure to include a point of contact.

Learn more about legal assistance topics that commonly affect military members such as consumer affairs, family law, wills, or powers of attorney. The information provided is for educational and general information purposes only. It is not legal advice. Speak with a licensed attorney before relying on the information contained within the website to make a decision or take any action.

Legal Assistance Preventive Law

For other locations in the Southwest (including Ventura County, China Lake, Lemoore, and Fallon), please contact your local office listed at the bottom of this page.

RLSO SW Command Services is a legal advice resource focused on afloat and shore commands without a dedicated staff judge advocate or legalman. For any questions, please email rlso_sw_command_services@navy.mil.

RLSO SW Headquarters provides local support to Naval Base San Diego, Naval Base Coronado, Naval Base Point Loma, and Navy Region Southwest Transient Personnel Unit (TPU).

The Military Justice Department provides command case screening services and disposition recommendations on all offenses not covered by the Office of the Special Trial Counsel. The Military Justice Department also prosecutes all special and general courts-martial on non-covered offenses. Please contact rlsosw_intake@navy.mil for case screening services.

Covered Offenses Include: 117a (crimes involving intimate visual images), 118 (murder), 119 (manslaughter), 120 (rape and sexual assault), 120a (mail, deposit of obscene matter), 120b (sexual assault of a child), 120c (miscellaneous sex offenses), 125 (kidnapping), 128b (domestic violence), 130 (stalking), 132 (retaliation), 134 (child pornography); and conspiracies, solicitations, or attempts of these offenses.

After 1 Jan 2025, Article 134 (Sexual Harassment) will be added to these covered offenses. If your command is dealing with one of these covered offenses, please contact the Office of Special Trial Counsel at ostcwest_sd_intake@us.navy.mil. For non-covered offenses, please contact our office.