Eighth Coast Guard District Staff Judge Advocate (DL)
Main Legal Office Number: (504) 671-2331
Duty Attorney Cell Phone: (618) 610-2618
Legal Office fax number: (504) 671-2040
Conference Room phone number: (504) 671-2041
E-mail:
D8DutyAttorney@uscg.mil
Legal Assistance | Freedom of Information |
Claims | Standards of Conduct | MOAs and MOUs | Military Justice
Consistent with law, existing practice in the military service, emerging and evolving Coast Guard missions, and good business practice, the Eighth District Commander is served by a Staff Judge Advocate who reports directly to the District Commander and provides real-time operational legal advice and legal support to maintenance, logistics, and personnel activities.
The mission of the Staff Judge Advocate and the Judge Advocates on the legal staff is to provide legal counsel to ensure that operations are executed promptly and successfully in accordance with the letter and spirit of the law. The Staff Judge Advocate and operational lawyers must advise operators directly in real-time. Significant legal resources directly support operational commanders and staffs, including direct support to the Maritime Operations Threat Response (MOTR) process, Statements of No Objection (SNO), interventions, searches, investigations, vessel arrests, and ongoing support to a wide variety of maritime safety, security, and environmental protection activities. In addition, the Staff Judge Advocate must be positioned to provide real-time advice to operational decision-makers on the use of force and rules of engagement with they apply, and to evaluate environmental consequences of Coast Guard operations.
Within the Eighth Coast Guard District, the Staff Judge Advocate has assigned Judge Advocates and support staff personnel specific areas of responsibility. By providing each operational command and district staff element with a primary attorney, the Staff Judge Advocate provides a resource that will become familiar with the issues and unique concerns of the varied operational areas within the vast geographic area of our district.
The Staff Judge Advocate is also responsible for administration of the Legal Assistance program. The Coast Guard traditionally has recognized the importance of providing legal support for our personnel in connection with their personal civil legal affairs. Providing such legal support enhances readiness for our personnel, helping to relieve the stress and uncertainty associated with their duties and thus improving both morale and efficiency. Prompt assistance with other personal legal difficulties has a beneficial effect, so the Commandant’s policy is to provide legal assistance to eligible personnel to the fullest extent possible under the law. Within the Eighth Coast Guard District, the Staff Judge Advocate dedicates one full-time attorney, support staff, and a cadre of reserve attorneys to meet the needs of the district's personnel as provided for by the Legal Assistance program.
Services and Benefits:
Post Government
Service Ethics Questionnaire
Current Assignments and Specific Duties for the Eighth Coast Guard District Legal Office:
CAPT Peter Simons
District Legal Officer
Staff Judge Advocate
Assistant Ethics Official
Command Director Legal Assistance
Reserve Program Supervisor
Primary Attorney for (d), (dcs)
U. S. Attorney Liaison
CDR Ronald Bald
Principal Assistant to the District Legal
Officer
Primary Attorney for External Affairs (de)
Primary Attorney for Auxiliary (dpa)
Supervisor, Military & Civilian Attorneys and Paralegals
Alternate Assistant Ethics Official
Coordinator, Reserve Program
Coordinator, Legal Office Procedures Memoranda
Coordinator, Annual Ethics Training
Coordinator, Legal Office Training
Legal Office Budget Officer
Small Purchase Reviewing Official & Purchase Cardholder Approving Official
Annual Legal Liability Letter
LCDR Eric Denley
Primary Attorney for Response (dr)
Primary Attorney for Sector Houston-Galveston
Primary Attorney for Air Station Houston
Primary Attorney for CGC HARRY CLAIBORNE (WLM 651)
Primary Attorney for Merchant Mariner Licensing Cases
Primary Attorney for Abandoned Vessels/Facilities
Secondary Attorney for Hurricane Investigations/Audits/Interviews
Supervisor, Military & Civilian Administrative Staff
Coordinator, Duty Attorney Schedule
LT
Marc Zlomek
Primary Attorney for Resources (dm)
Primary Attorney for Sector Corpus Christi
Primary Attorney for Standards of Conduct (Ethics)
Primary Attorney for Civil Penalty Cases
MLEM/Use of Force/SROE Afloat Attorney
MLEM/Use of Force/SROE Ashore Attorney
Coordinator, Operation Drydock Matters
Alternate Coordinator, Confidential Financial Disclosure Reports
Assistant Annual Ethics Training Coordinator
LT Ann McSpadden
Primary Attorney for Planning & Force
Readiness (dx)
Primary Attorney for Sector New Orleans
Primary Attorney for Air Station New Orleans
Primary Attorney for Gulf Region Fisheries Training Center
Primary Attorney for Hurricane Response & Recovery Operations
Primary Attorney for Civil Rights (dcr)
Primary Attorney for Family Advocacy Issues
Coordinator, Victim/Witness, Transitional Compensation
Human Relations Council Representative
Coordinator, Recruiting Program – Internships, Externships, and DCL program
LT Benjamin Karpinski
Primary Attorney for Prevention (dp) with
exception of Auxiliary (dpa) Primary Attorney for Sector Mobile
Primary Attorney for CGC CYPRESS (WLB 210)
Primary Attorney for CGC BARBARA MABRITY (WLM 559)
Primary Attorney for Hurricane Investigations/Audits/Interviews
Secondary Attorney for Standards of Conduct (Ethics)
Coordinator, Confidential Financial Disclosure Reports
Coordinator, Claims Against the Government
Coordinator, Subpoenas/Depositions/Law Enforcement Witness Requests
Bankruptcy Attorney
LT Demetrius Cheeks
Primary Attorney for Director of Western
Rivers (dw)
Primary Attorney for Sector Lower Mississippi River
Primary Attorney for Sector Upper Mississippi River
Primary Attorney for Sector Ohio Valley
Primary Attorney for Bridges within the Western Rivers
Primary Attorney for Freedom of Information Act/Privacy Act
Secondary Attorney for Family Advocacy Attorney
Secondary Attorney for Freedom of Information Act/Privacy Act
Coordinator, Field Regulations including Bridge Regulations**
Alternate Coordinator, Victim/Witness, Transitional Compensation
Fiscal Law Attorney
** Responsible for handling all matters in this subject area regardless of the client from which it was received.
NOTE:
Attorneys will handle all legal issues that arise with their clients unless
otherwise indicated. The subject matter experts will provide assistance and
training to other staff attorneys regarding issues arising in their subject
matter areas with the exceptions noted above. The Principal Assistant
assigns the following duties to staff attorneys as deemed appropriate and
not on a client basis.
1.
Trial Counsel / Defense Counsel
2.
Administrative Discharge Board Recorder
3.
Environmental Crimes Referral and Liaison w/AUSAs
4.
Federal Crimes Referral and Liaison w/AUSAs
5.
Operation Drydock Case Referral and Liaison w/AUSAs
In the absence of a Primary Attorney AND when the matter must be handled without delay, the Secondary Attorney will assume responsibility for the issue and, at the discretion of the Primary Attorney, handle the issue to completion or relinquish the issue to the Primary Attorney upon return to the office.
| Primary | Secondary |
| CDR Bald | LCDR Denley |
| LCDR Denley | LT Zlomek |
| LT Zlomek | LT McSpadden |
| LT McSpadden | LT Karpinski |
| LT Karpinski | LT Cheeks |
| LT Cheeks | CDR Bald |
Mr. Stephen Crawford
Legal Assistance Attorney
Legal Assistance Coordinator
Auxiliary Resources Coordinator
Special Assistant to the District Legal Officer
Family Advocacy Case Review Committee Member
Mr. James Scheffer
Paralegal
-
Provide support to staff attorneys on operational law
issues
Provide support to Legal Assistance Attorney on complex legal assistance
issues
Handles, on a case-specific basis, legal assistance matters under the
direction of the LA attorney
Coordinator, Law Manager
Military Justice Support and Case Management -
Assists with procedural,
administrative issues and legal research
Coordinator, Legal YN Training -
Ensures subordinates are receiving
appropriate training
YN1 Diane Dill (Senior YN)
Screen incoming phone calls for legal
office personnel
Mail Manager
Legal Assistance Files Manager
Ensures all legal assistance documentation is properly filed
File Systems Manager – Ensures all documentation is properly filed
(e.g. correspondence, UCMJ, personnel, civil litigation, criminal
litigation, claims)
Legal Office Coordinator for CGMA and Savings Bond Campaigns Alternate Human
Relations Council Representative
YN3 Timothy Terrell
Screen incoming phone calls for legal
office personnel
Assistant Legal Assistance
Coordinator (first contact for legal assistance issues)
Back-up Mail Manager
Law Manager Data Entry – Primary responsibility for law manager entries,
reports, data calls
Library Manager – Ensures library is organized and periodicals
current, coordinates ordering of periodicals and material with Budget
Officer
Stockroom Administrator – Ensures stockroom is organized and supplies
current
Legal Office Coordinator for Combined Federal Campaign (CFC)
Ms. Constance Davis
- (Legal Assistant)
Budget Administrator – Works with (dmf) to maintain legal office
budget
Small Purchase Request Reviewing Official
Law Manager Files Manager – Ensures all law manager entries are
accurate & current
Correspondence Data Base Administrator – Assigns file numbers
and maintains electronic correspondence data bases
Coordinator, FOIA/Privacy Act Requests, Advice & Release
Coordinator, Witness Travel/Logistics
Coordinator, Court Reporting Services
Office Property Custodian – Maintains property lists, ensures
accountability and materiel condition
Legal Office System Administrator
Screen incoming phone calls
for legal office personnel