The Missouri Attorney General’s Office DEFENDERS Program (previously known as the Military Legal Assistance Team) exists to defend those who defend our country and the freedoms that we enjoy. The DEFENDERS Program works to aid active duty servicemembers and military on several different legal issues pro bono, combat predatory businesses practices that target servicemembers, provide education on consumer protection issues facing active duty military, and more.
The men and women who defend America deserve a legal advocate – the DEFENDERS Program seeks to fill that void.
ABOUT
The Missouri Attorney General’s Office DEFENDERS Program, which seeks to enhance the readiness of eligible Missouri military personnel by addressing qualifying legal issues that will be adjudicated within the State of Missouri and cannot be resolved by JAG attorneys. For more information regarding the Defender’s Program or to request services, please submit an inquiry using the contact form below. To volunteer as a pro-bono attorney, please sign up using the contact form below.
DEFENDERS SERVICES
The Defenders offers the following services:
- Referrals to pro bono attorneys licensed in the state of Missouri for representation of claims brought under the Servicemembers’ Civil Relief Act (SCRA) and the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). Pro bono representation is subject to eligibility requirements and the availability of attorneys in your area of need.
- Combats predatory business practices targeting Missouri’s military communities.
- Educational presentations on military consumer protection issues, civil legal protections for service members and Defender’s Program services that are available to eligible service members and veterans upon request.
- Provides legal representation for National Guard personnel with certain employment claims arising as a result of State Emergency Duty.
ELIGIBILITY FOR DEFENDERS SERVICES
To be eligible for Defenders Program Legal Services, you must have a qualifying personal civil legal issue with jurisdiction and venue in the State of Missouri and be:
- A service member on active, reserve, or National Guard duty, stationed within the State of Missouri,
- A Missouri resident service member stationed outside the State of Missouri, or,
- A Missouri resident who is a veteran of the armed forces with no less than a General Under Honorable Conditions discharge.