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. Pre-deployment services are given priority. To schedule an appointment, please email SanDiegoLA@us.navy.mil. If you are requesting a will appointment, complete and send in the will worksheet along with the client intake form. 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.

Walk-In Wednesdays: Each Wednesday, the legal assistance office is open for ACTIVE DUTY walk-in clients from 0800-1100 and from 1300-1500 on a first-come, first-served, space available basis. Please bring your military issued ID. Wills and immigration assistance are NOT available on walk-in Wednesdays.

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

Notary services are available Monday-Thursday 0800-1200/1300-1500. 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 the waterfront service window to obtain a notary. If you cannot print your document in advance, please be prepared to email it to SanDiegoLA@us.navy.mil when you arrive.

Special Power of Attorney

A 3-part divorce seminar providing step-by-step guidance on how to file for an uncontested divorce in California begins every Monday at 1300 at Bldg 56 in San Diego. No appointment is needed. Only one spouse can attend the seminar.

Monday 1300-1400: Divorce Video Overview

Tuesday 1300-1430: Initial Filing Paperwork Pt. 1

Thursday 1300-1430: Initial Filing Paperwork Pt. 2 & Financial Disclosures

San Diego-area commands preparing for deployment may request pre-deployment and will preparation services for groups of 20 or more. Pre-deployment 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 SanDiegoLA@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 Series

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.