Victims of intimate partner violence who are military service members, veterans, or partners of service members or veterans, often have specific legal issues related to the military. Attorneys who are unconnected to the military must understand those issues or run the risk not only of inadequate representation, but also of increasing danger to their clients. While resources on legal representation of service members and/or veterans exist, this handbook specifically addresses additional considerations for attorneys when representing military-related victims/survivors:
- The intersection between intimate partner violence and PTSD
- Accountability for military offenders
- Military protective orders
- Federal firearms prohibitions and the military
- Service of process issues
- Servicemembers Civil Relief Act
- Child custody, divorce and military benefits division
The handbook's target audience is attorneys and legal advocates who are relatively unfamiliar with the structure, culture, and laws of the military, although it contains information that may also be useful to military attorneys or legal assistance officers.
