San Antonio Military Divorce Attorney
Two of our firm’s partners, Ben Chappell and Chad Olsen have experience in the USAF Reserve Judge Advocate General Corps (JAG). Ben Chappell is retired Colonel and Chad Olsen is a Captain. Together, they have more than 30 years’ experience in military law. Combined with their Collaborative Divorce and family law experience, they are uniquely qualified to handle your military divorce or other military-related family law cases.
Military divorce describes a divorce where one of the parties (the “service member”) is active duty military, reserve or guard, or retired military. This is not a “legal” term that is recognized within the context of the law, but a lay term used to describe a divorce where one of the parties is a service member (regardless of the member’s status).
Being a service couple does not exempt the parties from the same requirements that civilian couples must meet when filing for divorce. However, Texas is one of many states that have special residency requirements for active duty service personnel who want to file for divorce in the state in which they are stationed.
Military couples will also go through the same procedural process when divorcing. But they must also be aware that there are other factors that the typical civilian couple will not have to address, and which may prolong the process because of the very nature of one of the party’s military service, such as an active duty assignment in a remote area, or a permanent station overseas.
Besides understanding the basic divorce process, it is imperative that military couples are knowledgeable in the factors that will affect their divorce as a result of military service. It is imperative that your attorney have experience in dealing with the federal law that divides military retired pay and not only your state’s own laws about divorce.
Ben R. Chappell
Colonel USAF Reserves (JAG)
Chad Olsen
Captain USAF Reserves (JAG)
Factors that Affect Military Divorces
In the process, your attorney will need information from you as to unique military information which may affect your particular situation. These factors include the following:
- Jurisdiction. The service member often has a choice of which state to file in. Some states are more favorable to the military member, others to the spouse.
- Disability pay. Is the service member already retired? Receiving disability pay? (from the VA or the military service?) Is the amount 100% or a lesser amount? If the military member is still on active duty, what possibility is there that he or she will apply for VA compensation? VA compensation may reduce the amount of disposable retired pay going to the former spouse. Combat Related Specialty Compensation must also be evaluated as to its impact on the division of military retired pay.
- Active duty status. If the service member is still on active duty, the decree must address the requirements of due process under the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Civil Relief Act, and address post-divorce military service.
- Separation bonuses. Does the service member anticipate leaving active duty before the requisite 20 years’ service time is met for a military retirement? Does your state recognize such a bonus as marital or community property? if the member plans to join the reserve/guard, there are restrictions on the bonus and pay-back requirements. These situations must not only be anticipated, but addressed by the divorcing couple.
- Transfer to the reserve/guard. Are you aware of how the members of the reserve/guard compute retirement time and earn points or pay for that time? If already a member of a Reserve Component, does the member have any “bad” years or inactive or IRR years? How much time has been spent in a non-paid status in the reserves? Do you know how to address such lapses in service time when computing the marital portion for the award of retired pay? (If you don’t know what a bad year is or what IRR stands for, you need help.)
If you cannot answer these questions easily, then you need to educate yourself on what these situations entail. Help is available through the book, Divorce and the Military II. You can use these questions, also, when interviewing an attorney to determine whether the attorney will be suitable to handle your divorce. In addition, you need to know about the federal benefits you may lose as a result of leaving active duty early (if you are the service member, even if you are considering transferring to the Reserves) or divorcing before the 20-year point (if you are the spouse).
The Law Offices of Bray, Chappell, Patterson & Olsen, Inc. represents clients with legal concerns throughout Texas including but not limited to the San Antonio area including Bexar County, Comal County, Guadalupe County, Kendall County, Medina County, Wilson County, Atascosa County, Bandera County, Travis County, Hays County and cities including San Antonio, Austin, San Marcos, Floresville, Jourdanton, New Braunfels, Boerne, Bandera, Seguin, and Hondo.
Our Texas divorce law firm also represents officers and enlisted personnel at all Joint Base San Antonio locations, including Randolph Air Force Base, Lackland Air Force Base, Fort Sam Houston, and Brooke Army Medical Center, as well as many other military installations around the world.
For more information about military divorce, contact our office to speak with a qualified attorney.
More Than 30 Years of Experience
Since 1985, our San Antonio collaborative divorce attorneys have served clients throughout the area with dedication and skill.
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Recognized as leaders in the field by Texas Monthly Super Lawyers and San Antonio Magazine Best Lawyers. We are known for skilled, dedicated advocacy.
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Bray, Chappell, Patterson & Olsen, Inc.
Attorneys and Counselors
1250 N.E. Loop 410, Suite 315
San Antonio, TX 78209
(210) 828-2178
