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Wednesday, January 03, 2007

My Military Defense Law Firm - Defending Those Who Defend Us

Happy new year to all! We hope your 2007 is the best year yet. As we embark on 2007, we want to thank our clients and their families for allowing us the opportunity to assist you during your difficult times. We know you could have hired other attorneys/firms, and we are grateful for the trust you have placed in us. We also appreciate your kind words when your cases are over (see client testimonials on website).

I have been asked many questions about our firm’s background. The answers are detailed more thoroughly on our website (
http://www.militaryadvocate.com/), but I will provide a quick overview here as well.

My law firm exclusively represents military members stationed around the world who face adverse military actions. This could be any adverse action, such as a court-martial, post-trial clemency, post-trial appeal, administrative discharge, administrative punishment (Article 15, nonjudicial punishment, reprimand, demotion, etc.), administrative boards (discharge board, medical board, flying evaluation board, accident investigation board, etc.), reenlistment issues, security clearance issues, military members under investigation, correction of military records, etc.


Frank Spinner (of counsel) and I (attorney Richard Stevens) combine decades of military justice and military law experience. We have defended members of all military services (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard) stationed around globe (USA, Canada, UK, Germany, Spain, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Europe, Japan, Korea, Qatar, Iraq, Afghanistan – including those engaged in combat operations in the Middle East).

We are friends, colleagues and former military JAG attorneys who provide America’s Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines with the benefit of our experience within the military justice system.

Frank Spinner is a retired Air Force JAG attorney who established his own military criminal defense practice as a civilian attorney in the early 1990s. As
an Air Force attorney, Frank served in such military defense positions as Chief Circuit Defense Counsel (the chief military defense attorney over all military defense attorneys in the geographic region) and two tours with the Appellate Defense Division, one tour as Chief of the Division (the chief attorney over all Air Force appellate defense attorneys and cases).

Since Frank retired from active duty and established his civilian practice, he has represented some of the most high profile cases in military justice. These cases have included U.S. v. Capt Jim Wang (Black Hawk shoot down), U.S. v. SSgt Delmar Simpson (Aberdeen Proving Ground sexual assault allegations), U.S. v. Lt Kelly Flinn (female B-52 pilot accused of adultery), U.S. v. Capt Richard Ashby (Italian ski gondola Marine flight accident case), U.S. v. Spc. Sabrina Harman (Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse allegations), and U.S. v. CWO Lewis Welshofer (Iraqi General’s post-interrogation death).

Frank Spinner has been profiled on NPR and has appeared on national news programs such as 60 Minutes, 20/20, Dateline, Meet the Press and CNN Crossfire. Frank is an independent defense attorney based in Colorado Springs, CO who has now also associated, in an of counsel capacity, with our firm. He has been a friend, mentor and colleague of ours for many years.

I (attorney Richard Stevens) am a former Air Force JAG attorney. During my active duty career, I served as a regional military defense attorney and a base military defense attorney. After leaving active duty, I worked as a trial lawyer in North Carolina state and federal courts. I then formed my own military defense practice.

While the issues we address are extremely diverse, I have recently represented a fair number of clients facing rape, sexual assault and sexual misconduct allegations at the military academies and elsewhere. I have also been involved in representing clients facing medical boards and disciplinary actions related to injuries sustained after receiving the anthrax vaccine or refusing to take the mandatory anthrax vaccinations. Further, we have represented a number of clients facing allegations of misconduct while serving in combat operations in the Middle East.

Our individual and collective military law, military justice, military trial and military defense background and experience is detailed on our website. However, this should briefly describe who we are and what we do. We gratefully defend those who defend us.

For more information, please call the firm toll-free at 800-988-0602 or visit our website (
www.militaryadvocate.com).

By: Attorney Richard V. Stevens
Civilian criminal defense lawyer and military defense lawyer
Military Defense Law Offices of Richard V. Stevens, PC
http://www.militaryadvocate.com

Blog postscript: Attorney Frank Spinner and I (attorney Richard Stevens) are former active duty military lawyers (JAG). Our perspectives and advice, therefore, are based upon our experience as military defense lawyers and as civilian criminal defense lawyers practicing exclusively in the area of military law. This blog addresses issues in military law, military justice, military discipline, military defense, court-martial practice, the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) and other military and/or legal topics. Nothing posted in this blog should be substituted for legal advice in any particular case. If you seek legal advice for a particular case, please contact The Law Offices of Richard V. Stevens & The Law Office of Frank J. Spinner for a free consultation.