Region Legal Service Office Naval District Washington (RLSO NDW)
Mission
RLSO NDW, its detachments and branch offices are organized into departments and divisions that provide services in the functional areas of trial counsel, command services / administrative law, court reporting, ethics counseling and command administration.
RLSO NDW provides military justice and command services legal advice to commands. Military justice advice includes matters that are prosecutorial in nature (i.e., related to the prosecution of a member of your command at court-martial). Command services advice encompasses any other legal issue confronting your command or unit that does not involve the prosecution of a member of the command. In essence, RLSO NDW serves as the law firm representing the command.
Area of Responsibility
RLSO NDW headquarters is located on the Washington Navy Yard, D.C. and has detachments at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., Naval Air Station Annapolis, Md., and Naval Base Dahlgren, Va. RLSO NDW geographic area of responsibility includes Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia.
Legal Services Provided
Command Services Eligibility
RLSOs are dedicated to providing professional legal services and solutions in support of military justice and other legal issues involving Navy (and Marine Corps upon request) commands located within their area of operation, as well as other functions and tasks necessary in support of the mission and core capabilities of the Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps. The highest priority will be given to fleet and operational units, particularly those deployed or preparing to deploy:
- Admin Law
- Admiralty
- Administrative Separation Boards
- Officer Misconduct and Separations
- Detachment for Cause
- Enlisted Separations
- Correspondence Issues; Freedom of Expression and Grievance
- Freedom of Expression
- Procedures
- Request Mast / Redress of Wrongs / Art. 138 UCMJ
- Hotline Complaints & Whistleblower
- Protection Act
- Congressional Inquiries
- EO Preventive Measures
- Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
- Privacy Act
- Ethics
- Guidelines for Ethical Conduct
- Commercial Dealings Between Members
- Conflicts of Interest
- Fundraising
- Birthday Ball Fundraising
- Gambling
- Gifts between Employees
- Gifts from Outside Sources
- Government Property
- Outside Employment
- Political Activities – Military Active Duty
- Private Organizations and Spouse Clubs
- Travel Benefits
- Command Coins / Recognition & Retention Items
- Family Relationship Issues
- Domestic Abuse Prevention
- Domestic Violence / Family Advocacy Incidents
- Paternity
- Homeland Security
- Interactions with Civilians
- Environmental Issues
- Jury Duty
- Law Enforcement – Civilian Jurisdiction
- Law Enforcement – Support of Civilian Police Agencies
- Repossession of Personal Property
- Service of Process / Subpoenas
- JAG Manual Investigations
- Training, Advice and Assistance to Investigating Officers
- Review by Convening Authority (CA)
- Nonjudicial Punishment
- Preliminary Processing
- Conducting the NJP Hearing
- Preparing Letters of Censure
- Forwarding Appeals
- Operational Law
- Outside Continental United States
- Customs
- Foreign Claims
- Foreign Criminal Jurisdiction / SOFA
- Liberty Risk
- Marriages – Overseas
- Personnel Issues
- Alcohol Abuse Prevention
- Drug Prevention and Urinalysis Program
- Grievance Procedures
- Hate Crimes Issues
- HIV Issues
- Homosexual Conduct
- Indebtedness Complaints
- Mental Health Evaluations
- Officer / Enlisted Performance
- Pregnancy
- Reservists – Special Considerations
- Suicides, Attempts & Gestures / CACO
- Post Courts-Martial Assistance
- Timely Review and Advice Regarding the Convening Authority’s Action
- Preparation of Promulgating Orders
- Forwarding of Records of Trial to Appellate Authority as Appropriate
- Post-trial Review
- Prosecution of Courts-Martial
- Provide Preliminary Processing
- Drafting of Charges
- Review of Preliminary Inquiries
- Advice Regarding the Preferral / Referral of Court-martial Charges
- Pre-Preferral Investigation
- Litigation of Courts-Martial Trials
- Preparation and Authentication of Records of Trial
- Provide Victim / Witness Assistance as Required
- Summary Courts-Martial (SCM) Advice and Assistance
- Draft of Charges
- Review of Preliminary Inquiries and Referral of Charges
- Advice and Training to Potential SCM Officers
- Search & Seizure
- Sexual Harassment, Fraternization & Hazing
- Sexual Harassment Prevention
- Sexual Harassment Incident
- Fraternization Prevention
- Fraternization Incident
- Hazing Prevention / Incident
- Special Assistant United States Attorney
- Federal Magistrate Court
- Federal District Court