Need a Military Criminal Defense Attorney?

Seek help from a former active duty officer!

Are you currently facing a court-martial? A court-martial is not a place for your lawyer to learn on the job. You need a lawyer who is free from the confines of the uniform, but who can still look and behave like an officer before a military panel. You need to retain the services of a highly experienced military criminal defense lawyer who possesses a true understanding of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which is a specialized area of law.

Call (915) 546-2696 to Request a Case Consultation!

I am not only a civilian El Paso criminal defense lawyer, but also a Retired Army Judge Advocate. (JAG) I have prosecuted and defended cases at numerous military installations around the world. I take pride in the opportunity to defend the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines as they have defended us. I take your representation seriously. The stakes are too high and the consequences are too far reaching to give you any less.

Successfully Navigate the Military Justice System (UCMJ) with My Help

The Uniform Code of Military Justice is a very specialized area of the law. You need a lawyer who can not only try a case, but one who understands the Military Justice System (UCMJ), the rules for Court-martials, and more importantly one who understands the "military culture." Unlike a civilian jury, your jury will not be composed of "your peers."

Instead, your jurors in a military case will likely consist of:

• Individuals who are far superior to you in rank; from E-8 to O-6.
• Highly educated and generally older individuals who are absolutely invested in the good order and discipline of the service.

The last thing you want to encounter is having a civilian lawyer during your trial, with no military experience, struggling to understand the differences between a Company and a Battery or a Squadron and a Wing. Should you hire me to handle your military criminal offense, you can rest assured that your lawyer knows the military; the culture, speaks the language, and understands the military way of life.

Understanding Rules and Regulations

The rules for courts-martial present challenges for even the most experienced military lawyers. Even experienced legal professionals who don’t regularly practice in front of military courts can be blindsided by the differences in military law from civilian law and the impact on your case and your future can be devastating. Your lawyer must understand the various options a commander has at his or her disposal in dispensing "military justice," as well as the potential consequences in order to properly advise you.

For example, most lawyers are unaware that the UCMJ does not require a unanimous verdict for a conviction. In fact, an accused can be convicted by as few as three-fourths of the votes of an eight-member panel. That is six out of eight members. There are no hung juries or mistrials because the jury could not reach a verdict. Should the panel reach three-fourths in favor of guilty, then that is the verdict.

Administrative Separation / Chapters / Show Cause Boards

Oftentimes, service members will be slated for separation due to misconduct or for some other reason, but without a court-martial. Service members may be entitled to a separation board depending on the particular regulations of their branch of service. You can be discharged by a board with any characterization of honorable, down to other than honorable. While you may get away without facing jail time, you risk losing retirement and other benefits that you had as a service member, which could affect your family.

I, Leonard Morales, can use my background to the benefit of your case:

• My active duty experiences and current service in the Army Reserves, holding the rank of Major in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's Corps
• I have tried and won all manners of cases, from a simple AWOL to murder in front of general courts-martial

You Deserve an Honorable Discharge

After leaving the military, you will undoubtedly encounter civilians in companies or federal, state, and local government officials who know the difference between an honorable discharge and a general discharge under honorable conditions. When you are found guilty of a crime, you are not only facing confinement in disciplinary barracks and the loss of pay and benefits, which negatively impacts your family. You risk enduring a stigma of failing to end your service in an honorable manner. Don't let that happen to you.