On the eve of Veterans Day earlier this month, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland issued a memo instructing various departments to aid servicemembers – active or not – and their families with their legal needs.
Garland’s office said in a press release that the Civil Rights Division’s Servicemember and Veterans Initiative has been directed to craft a plan that will serve as a blueprint for expanded duties and outreach efforts.
The memo also tasked the Office for Access to Justice to provide recommendations for actions that may be taken to better meet the legal needs, the AG said.
“The Justice Department honors our nation’s veterans and servicemembers not just with words but also with action,” Garland said in the release. “To that end, I have directed the Civil Rights Division and the Office for Access to Justice to mobilize resources in order to protect the rights of those who serve and lead efforts across government to ensure access to justice for veterans, servicemembers and military families.”
Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta said that many veterans’ legal issues come from their service to the country.
“The Justice Department’s Office for Access to Justice is uniquely positioned to deploy the tools of the department and to engage our partners across government through the Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable to identify opportunities that will expand access to justice for veterans, servicemembers and their families,” Gupta said in the release.
According to the nonprofit organization Justice for Vets, separate courts for veterans were established because not every judge understands veterans’ unique experiences and issues.
“Because a veterans treatment court judge handles numerous veterans' cases and is supported by a strong, interdisciplinary team, he or she is in a much better position to exercise discretion and effectively respond than a judge who only occasionally hears a case involving a veteran defendant,” JFV wrote on its website. “A veterans treatment court judge better understands the issues that a veteran may be struggling with, such as substance addiction, PTSD, traumatic brain injury, or military sexual trauma.”
The Civil Rights Division hosted a virtual meeting for veterans and their families on Nov. 16.
