A Legal Assistance Symposium: An Introduction

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Each year. in the Judge Advocateofficer Graduatecourse, career judge advocates produce aweaithaf written material concerningthe vmious aspects of the military practice of law. A great deal of this work is pubiished in the professional journals preparedatThe Judge Advocate General's School and provides valuable insights and guidance for the practicing military attorney. For that reason, the Grsduate Course students comprise the "think tank of the JAG Corps."

In this issue of the Military Law Review are several articles concerning legal assistance topic8 prepared by members of the 3151 Judge Advocate Officer Graduate Course and selected for publication by the Administrative and Civil Law Division of The Judge Advocate General's School. The delivery of effective legal assistance to the service member has been decreed by The Judge Advocate General to be a top priority mission of the Corps. Ta familiarize the judge advocate with several aspects of that mission. this volume discusses various issues which impact significantlyon the praeticeof law in the legal assistance field.

Section I i~ concerned with topics in the area of family law. The formation of the marital relationship and the regulators strictures placed upon it in overseas commands are discussed in the lead article. Thereafter, issue8 surrounding the dissolution of the marriage and the attendant concerns of the division of property rights. spousal and child support, andchiid custody are probed, withspecialemphasis on recent Statutory and judicial developments in the law. Finally. the legal rights and relations of those autside the traditional family unit. the illegitimate child, the unwed father, and the nopmarital cohabitants are discussed.

Section I1 deals with issues of concern to the military taxpayer. Austerity measures in state and federal budgets have required governmental entities to maximize the collection of tax doliars. The pay and allowances of service members are, perhaps now more than ever, prime candidates for fiscal scrutiny. The first article evaluates an initially successful attempt by a state to indirectly tax a nanresi-dent service member's military income. The degree to which this

*The opinionn and conclusions expressed in this introduction and in each of the articles which comprise this Symposium am those of the authors and donotneceasar-11" cemesent thevieweof The Judne Advacate GeneraPsSehaol. the...