10 U.S.C. § 1044
Section 1044 · Legal assistance
Current version, with additions and removals from the October 30, 2000 version.
(a) Subject to the availability of legal staff resources, the Secretary concerned may provide legal assistance in connection with their personal civil legal affairs to the following persons:
(a) Subject to the availability of legal staff resources, the Secretary concerned may provide legal assistance in connection with their personal civil legal affairs to the following persons:
(1) Members of the armed forces who are on active duty.
(1) Members of the armed forces who are on active duty.
(2) Members and former members entitled to retired or retainer pay or equivalent pay.
(2) Members and former members entitled to retired or retainer pay or equivalent pay.
(5) Dependents of members and former members described in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4).
(5) Dependents of members and former members described in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4).
(6) Survivors of a deceased member or former member described in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4) who were dependents of the member or former member at the time of the death of the member or former member, except that the eligibility of such survivors shall be determined pursuant to regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned.
(7) Civilian employees of the Federal Government serving in locations where legal assistance from non-military legal assistance providers is not reasonably available, except that the eligibility of civilian employees shall be determined pursuant to regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned.
(c) This section does not authorize legal counsel to be provided to represent a member or former member of the uniformed services described in subsection (a), or the dependent of such a member or former member, in a legal proceeding if the member or former member can afford legal fees for such representation without undue hardship.
(c) This section does not authorize legal counsel to be provided to represent a member or former member of the uniformed services described in subsection (a), or the dependent of such a member or former member, in a legal proceeding if the member or former member can afford legal fees for such representation without undue hardship.
(d)(1) Notwithstanding any law regarding the licensure of attorneys, a judge advocate or civilian attorney who is authorized to provide military legal assistance is authorized to provide that assistance in any jurisdiction, subject to such regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary concerned.
(2) Military legal assistance may be provided only by a judge advocate or a civilian attorney who is a member of the bar of a Federal court or of the highest court of a State and, for purposes of service as a Special Victims' Counsel under section 1044e of this title, satisfies the additional qualifications and training requirements specified in subsection (d) of such section.
(3) In this subsection, the term "military legal assistance" includes—
(A) legal assistance provided under this section; and
(B) legal assistance contemplated by sections 1044a, 1044b, 1044c, 1044d, 1044e, 1565b(a)(1)(A), and 2894(b)(4) of this title.