Otero Counties military criminal lawyers

Everyone knows breaking the law results in an arrest, a charge, and a potential conviction if you’re found guilty. You’re taught from a very early age what’s acceptable and what’s not, and you know the basics of the law very well. When men and women turn 18 and are legally allowed to make their own life decisions, many join the military. What they don’t know going into the military is the many additional laws they are required to abide by. Military personnel must not only follow the laws governing the people of the United States but the laws governing the men and women who enlist. When a military recruit breaks any law, they run a very serious risk of being court-martialed, tried in a regular court of law, and potentially being tried in both.

The men and women who serve in the military are the people who put their lives on the line for the rest of us each day. They are put in situations where they know ahead of time they might not come home. They leave behind their loved ones, they miss the births of their children, and they kiss their spouses goodbye before boarding military planes taking them overseas to live in hostile territory knowing this might be the last time they ever see their family. That’s why it’s our pleasure to serve the men and women in the United States Military as military criminal defense attorneys.

Military Law

Military law is different. When you’re charged with committing any crime, you face legal trouble. When you are charged with committing a military crime, you could be in even more trouble. Military laws are specific to the men and women in the military, and they are required on top of other laws governing the rest of the country.

BAH and Travel Fraud – A basic allowance for housing is issued to each member of the military with a family who cannot find housing on base where they are stationed. This is how you find many people who live off base when their spouse serves in the military. Since free housing is not available, they are given an allowance that covers the cost of their rent. When military members travel for work, they are reimbursed for any expenses they pay out of their own pocket.

If the military believes any of its members is filling out their paperwork incorrectly, they have to assume it’s happening because people are looking to get more money for their housing or their travel expenses. In most situations, it happens for no reason other than the paperwork is time-consuming, filled with legal jargon, and difficult to understand. This makes it difficult for people to correctly fill it out when they don’t entirely understand it. Mistakes happen, and you need an attorney to help.

AWOL or Desertion – One law very different for military members than civilians is their job requirements. If a civilian is tired of their job or done putting up with a difficult boss or unfair policy, they can walk out the door and never return without a second thought. When a military member is done with the military, they stay right where they are until their enlistment is up. They cannot leave or they are considered AWOL, and they’ve deserted the military. This is illegal, and it requires an attorney to help you fight your case.

The military laws you live with are much different, and that’s why you must hire a military criminal defense attorney. Not only do we have ample experience defending cases in all aspects of the law, but we also have experience with military cases. You can still be charged with regular crimes in the military, too, and you always need the assistance of an attorney who knows the laws in the military, your rights, and what you can do to win your case.

One of the most serious punishments for those who are convicted of a military crime includes dishonorable discharge, which means you lose all your military benefits. It stays on your record for the rest of your life, and that makes it difficult to gain employment almost anywhere. You need an attorney.