South Carolina General Assembly
113th Session, 1999-2000

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Bill 1056


Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter


                    Current Status

Bill Number:                      1056
Type of Legislation:              General Bill GB
Introducing Body:                 Senate
Introduced Date:                  20000120
Primary Sponsor:                  Hayes
All Sponsors:                     Hayes and Wilson
Drafted Document Number:          l:\council\bills\ggs\22453djc00.doc
Companion Bill Number:            4558
Residing Body:                    Senate
Current Committee:                General Committee 08 SG
Subject:                          National Guard, notary, legal assistance, 
                                  authority of members; Adjutant General, 
                                  Attorneys, Secretary of State


                        History

Body    Date      Action Description                     Com     Leg Involved
______  ________  ______________________________________ _______ ____________
Senate  20000120  Introduced, read first time,           08 SG
                  referred to Committee


              Versions of This Bill

View additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.


(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A BILL

TO AMEND SECTION 25-1-630, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO ADMINISTRATION OF OATHS BY OFFICERS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA NATIONAL GUARD, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT, IN ADDITION TO BEING AUTHORIZED AND EMPOWERED TO ADMINISTER OATHS AND AFFIRMATIONS IN ALL MATTERS PERTAINING TO OR CONCERNING THE NATIONAL GUARD OF SOUTH CAROLINA, ALL COMMISSIONED AND WARRANT OFFICERS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA NATIONAL GUARD ARE AUTHORIZED AND EMPOWERED TO ACT AS A NOTARY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF, THE UNITED STATES CODE, AND THIS SECTION; AND TO AMEND CHAPTER 1, TITLE 25, RELATING TO COMMISSIONED AND WARRANT OFFICERS, BY ADDING SECTION 25-1-635, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT NATIONAL GUARD LEGAL ASSISTANCE ATTORNEYS MAY RENDER LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO THE IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS AND DEPENDENTS OF MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA NATIONAL GUARD WHEN, IN THE OPINION OF THE LEGAL ASSISTANCE OFFICER, SUCH LEGAL ASSISTANCE ENHANCES THE OVERALL MOBILIZATION READINESS OF A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL GUARD AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE SCOPE OF PRACTICE, DUTIES, AND LIMITATIONS OF LEGAL ASSISTANCE ATTORNEYS AND JUDGE ADVOCATES.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Section 25-1-630 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 25-1-630. (A) Officers are authorized and empowered to administer oaths and affirmations in all matters pertaining to or concerning the National Guard of South Carolina. Any person who shall falsely swear or affirm to any oath or affirmation before any such officer shall be guilty of perjury and upon trial and conviction thereof shall be sentenced for such offense as now provided by law for the crime of perjury.

(B) The persons named in subparagraph (C) have the general powers of a notary public in accordance with the authority of Title 10, United States Code, Section 1044a, and as provided in this section, in the performance of all notarial acts to be executed by:

(1) members of any of the armed forces;

(2) persons eligible for legal assistance under the provisions of 10 United States Code, Section 1044, regulations of the United States Department of Defense, this section, and Section 25-1-635;

(3) persons serving with, employed by, or accompanying the armed forces and National Guard of South Carolina or of any other state or territory of the United States, outside the United States and outside the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands; and

(4) persons subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice, Chapter 47, Title 10, United States Code, outside the United States.

(C) Persons with the powers described in subsection (B) are:

(1) all judge advocates, including armed forces reserve judge advocates and judge advocates of the National Guard of South Carolina or of any other state or territory of the United States when not in a duty status;

(2) all civilian attorneys serving as legal assistance officers;

(3) all adjutants, assistant adjutants, and personnel adjutants, including reserve and National Guard members when not in a duty status; and

(4) all other members of the armed forces, including reserve and National Guard members when not in a duty status, who are designated by regulations of the armed forces or statute to have those powers.

(D) No fee may be paid to or received by any person for the performance of a notarial act authorized in this section.

(E) The signature of any person acting as a notary under the authority of Title 10, United States Code, Section 1044a or of this section, together with the title of that person's offices, is prima facie evidence that the signature is genuine, that the person holds the designated title, and that the person is authorized to perform a notarial act."

SECTION 2. Chapter 1, Title 25 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 25-1-635. (A) For purposes of enhancing the readiness of National Guard personnel for mobilization or call up for state or federal service, legal assistance attorneys and judge advocates of the South Carolina National Guard who provide premobilization legal assistance and counseling to national guard personnel may also provide legal assistance and counseling to the immediate family members and dependents of members of the South Carolina National Guard when, in the opinion of the legal assistance, attorney or judge advocate, the legal assistant and counseling provided enhances the overall mobilization readiness of a member of the National Guard who has an obligation to provide for his family and dependents in his absence in the event of his mobilization.

(B) Subject to the availability of resources, the scope of the practice of law and the legal assistance attorney's duties and responsibilities authorized by this section are limited to advice and service regarding the following matters:

(1) Basic wills, trusts, and estate planning. Complex estate planning and drafting is not authorized by this section. Except when a legal assistance client is unable to communicate adequately, a will for one spouse may not be prepared based upon discussions with the other spouse without personal communication sufficient to establish the attorney-client relationship with the spouse for whom the will is prepared.

(2) Advice concerning the legal and practical implications of divorce, legal separation, annulment, custody, and paternity.

(3) Advice and document preparation, as appropriate, but not pleadings except as permitted by applicable service regulations.

(4) Advice and assistance, including communication, correspondence, and negotiations with another party or lawyer, on behalf of the client, may be provided as appropriate.

(5) Basic advice and assistance on federal, state, and local taxes may be provided as appropriate. Legal assistance attorneys will not prepare or sign returns.

(6) Advice and assistance relating to landlord and tenant matters, including review of personal leases and communication and correspondence in behalf of the client, may be provided as appropriate.

(7) Advice and appropriate assistance in connection with civil suits may be given. Procedures and requirements of small claims courts and other courts may be explained and appropriate referrals made. Except as permitted by applicable service regulations, court appearances and representation as attorney of record is not authorized by this section.

(8) Advice and assistance concerning the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act may be provided as appropriate pertaining to the protections afforded and the effect of the act on the client.

(9) Limited general advice may be provided regarding minor criminal matters and traffic offenses within the jurisdiction of the civilian courts. Serious criminal matters are not within the scope of legal assistance and will be referred to military defense counsel or private civilian attorneys, as appropriate.

(10) Advice and assistance may be given on powers of attorney, real estate, bankruptcy, contracts, consumer affairs, insurance, immigration, naturalization, and other areas if not inconsistent with legal assistance regulations. Advice and assistance regarding military matters may be provided subject to the limitations stated in applicable service regulations.

(C) Legal assistance is authorized for personal legal affairs only. Legal advice and assistance will not be provided regarding business ventures or regarding matters that are not of a personal nature.

(D) Legal assistance duties are separate and apart from responsibilities of trial counsel, defense counsel, or others involved in processing courts-martial, nonjudicial punishments, administrative boards or proceedings, and investigations. Unless otherwise directed by the Adjutant General or his designee, legal assistance attorneys may not assume defense counsel functions for their legal assistance clients. Members accused or suspected of offenses or conduct that may result in disciplinary or judicial proceedings under Title 25, the Uniform Code of Military Justice, or administrative discharges, must be referred to a defense counsel.

(E) If two or more eligible persons with conflicting interests seek legal assistance from the same legal assistance officer on the same matter, the party first establishing an attorney-client relationship will be provided representation. Other parties shall be advised that they are also eligible for assistance, but that it must be obtained from another source. Every effort will be made to refer the party with a conflicting interest to another legal assistance attorney or to a private civilian attorney.

(F) Legal assistance attorneys may not advise on, assist in, or become involved with, individual interests opposed to or in conflict with the interests of the State of South Carolina or the United States without the specific approval of the Adjutant General.

(G) Except when the client is unable to communicate adequately, advice or assistance will not be provided through third parties. In the absence of unusual or compelling circumstances, legal advice will not be provided over the telephone. This does not prohibit appropriate follow-up telephone discussions between the legal assistance attorney and the client.

(H) The legal assistance attorney may determine that the best interests of the client will be served by referring the case to a private civilian attorney. Referral may be for a variety of reasons, including expertise of the attorney or regulations that prohibit involvement of the legal assistance attorney. Should referral to a private civilian attorney be necessary, payment of legal fees is the client's responsibility. Except as otherwise provided by law, the State will not reimburse the individual or pay any expenses associated with the referral. Legal assistance attorneys shall not refer legal assistance clients to themselves in their private practice nor to their law firm.

(I) Services provided in the legal assistance program are at no cost to eligible personnel. Legal assistance attorneys, National Guard personnel and civilian employees involved in providing service or advice in the legal assistance program are prohibited from accepting or receiving, in any manner, any fee or compensation other than their regular compensation for legal services provided to persons eligible for assistance under this section, and from receiving fees or compensation for the same matters about which they consulted with or advised the legal assistance client in an official capacity."

SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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