“I was ready to sign whatever my first sergeant handed me. Quincy read it with me that night and told me what the signature would actually mean.”
Dewayne R.Service member
Civilian military law, Killeen, Texas
Handed paperwork? Don't sign yet.
Tell me what the paper says and the date on it. I call or text you back the same day, tell you what it means and how long you have, and quote my fee. I work next to your military defense lawyer, not in place of one.
Writing for someone else?
Call from the home front
A spouse or a parent often hears first. Tell me who is serving and what the paper is, in a line or two, and I'll call you.
I can't act for your service member until they agree to hire me, but I can tell you what to ask them and how much time there is.
What I take
Three kinds of case, and no others
The Uniform Code of Military Justice covers a lot. These are the three kinds of trouble I take on for service members and their families. Anything else, I'll say so on the first call and point you to someone who does it.
Courts-martial
Charges under the UCMJ, from the first interview to the verdict. You keep your military defense lawyer; I add a civilian one.
About courts-martialDrug, drunk-driving and assault charges
Sexual-assault allegations
Absence, orders and fraud
Separation and reprimands
A counseling statement, a written reprimand or a board can end a career. Each one has a short window to answer.
About separationSeparation notices and boards
Reprimands and Article 15
Discharge characterization
Military divorce
Two households, one paycheck from the government and orders that can move you overseas. The rules differ from a civilian divorce.
About military divorceRetired pay and survivor benefits
Custody around deployments
Moves and which court hears it
Who answers
The person who picks up is the lawyer
I'm Quincy Varnado. I was an Army judge advocate before I opened this office, and I've spent the years since on the civilian side of the same cases.
There's no intake team and no call center. You get me, on the phone or by text, and I write down the deadline before we hang up. If you're stationed elsewhere, we do it all by phone and video.
Calls and texts every day, 7am to 9pm
Video and phone for those deployed or stationed away
A written fee agreement before any work starts
Fees
Pay for the paper first, then for the case
Start with a one-time read of what you were handed. A case itself is a written fee, quoted after I've read the charge or the notice.
A paper review
An hour with me, by phone or in the office, over the paperwork you were handed. It's a flat fee, quoted when you book and credited toward the case fee if you hire me.
Every page read, not skimmed
A written summary you keep
A straight answer on what comes next
A case is a written fee
A board, a rebuttal or a court-martial is quoted in writing once I've read the charge. I don't represent you in a case until we both sign a fee agreement.
What's on top
Court costs, travel to a hearing and an expert, if you need one, are extra, and you'd owe them whoever you hired.
After the call
What clients said once it was over
“Nobody tells a spouse anything. I called, he explained the process in plain words, and I knew what to ask my husband before he did.”
Brianna K.Spouse of a service member
“My military lawyer and Quincy actually talked to each other. I never had to carry messages between them.”
Jaylen M.National Guard member
Sample quotes. Each client's case is different, and these don't predict the outcome of yours.
Before you call
Questions that come in first
Do I still keep my military defense lawyer?
Yes. You keep the detailed defense lawyer assigned to you, at no cost. A civilian lawyer is an addition you pay for, and the two of us work the case together.
Is it safe to talk to you from my barracks room or work email?
Use your own phone and your own email, never a government device or account. Calls to me are private, but a government computer is not.
What if my command wants an answer by Friday?
Ask your lawyer, or me, before you give one. A deadline on a notice is real, but you can usually ask for more time, and in writing.
Can I hire you if I'm stationed overseas or deployed?
Yes, by phone, video and secure email. Tell me the time zone and I'll work around it.
What does it cost?
A paper review is a flat fee, quoted when you book. A case is a written fee, quoted after I've read what you were charged with or handed. The plans above are for advice before a case.