Puerto Rico Military Defense Lawyers – UCMJ Attorneys
Legal Guide Overview
Puerto Rico Military Defense Lawyers – UCMJ Attorneys
Gonzalez & Waddington are civilian military defense lawyers providing representation for service members stationed in Puerto Rico. Their practice is exclusively focused on military justice, including UCMJ investigations, court-martial cases, and administrative actions. The firm brings worldwide defense experience to matters involving investigations by CID, NCIS, and OSI.
Watch the military defense lawyers at Gonzalez & Waddington break down how they defend service members worldwide against UCMJ allegations, CID/NCIS/OSI investigations, court-martials, Article 120 cases, administrative separations, and GOMORs. If you’re under investigation or facing charges, this video explains what your rights are and how experienced civilian military counsel can make the difference.
Puerto Rico
Gonzalez & Waddington routinely defend service members whose cases originate in Puerto Rico, addressing complex UCMJ matters connected to this jurisdiction. Their work includes high-stakes litigation that often requires coordination across multiple commands and agencies. The firm also represents clients worldwide, allowing them to manage cases that may shift between Puerto Rico and overseas proceedings.
The attorneys have extensive experience defending severe allegations, including Article 120 sexual assault cases involving intensive investigative activity. They regularly handle court-martial litigation, Article 32 hearings, and multifaceted inquiries that shape the trajectory of a case from the outset. Their practice often involves interaction with CID, NCIS, OSI, and CGIS, reflecting the joint-service operational environment present in Puerto Rico.
They emphasize early legal intervention to help clients navigate critical stages before official statements or charging decisions are made. Their trial-level readiness supports strategic defense work within command-controlled military justice systems. This includes managing both administrative and criminal military proceedings that arise from cases associated with Puerto Rico.
The United States maintains a military presence in Puerto Rico to support regional stability and ensure access to key maritime and air approaches in the Caribbean. Forces positioned on the island contribute to deterrence, rapid response, and humanitarian readiness across nearby regions. The location also supports logistics movements, training opportunities, and coordination with federal and local agencies. This presence remains rooted in longstanding operational requirements rather than political considerations.
Puerto Rico’s position along major sea lanes and air transit routes shapes how forces train, operate, and move through the region. Its mix of coastal zones, urban centers, and interior terrain influences planning for mobility, communication, and sustainment. Tropical weather patterns and seasonal storms require resilience in both infrastructure and force posture. These conditions collectively affect operational tempo and the rotation cycles of personnel assigned to the island.
The island hosts a joint-service footprint that generally includes aviation activities, maritime support functions, reserve component operations, and logistics or medical capabilities. Units often conduct training tied to coastal surveillance, emergency response readiness, and interagency coordination. Some missions involve intelligence or cyber support consistent with broader regional objectives. Military elements also interact routinely with surrounding civilian communities, ensuring operations align with local regulatory and cultural considerations.
The operational pace and layered command structures in Puerto Rico mean that military justice issues can surface quickly when incidents occur. Commands must make timely decisions regarding investigations, administrative measures, and reporting requirements. High accountability standards apply regardless of a service member’s mission set or assignment type. These realities underscore the need for clear procedures and readiness in handling UCMJ-related matters within the island’s dynamic operating environment.
Puerto Rico hosts several active U.S. military installations, each with distinct missions, force structures, and community environments that shape recurring patterns of military justice issues.
Fort Buchanan – U.S. Army
Fort Buchanan supports Army Reserve and National Guard forces, along with various support units that cycle through for training, logistics, and mobilization processing. The installation maintains a steady operational tempo tied to personnel readiness, sustainment, and administrative support for rotational units. Its mission environment blends garrison operations with intermittent surges of activity when reserve components mobilize or demobilize.
The surrounding metropolitan area exposes soldiers to dense nightlife districts, tourist zones, and heavy traffic corridors where allegations of misconduct often surface, including alcohol-related incidents and relationship-driven disputes. The mix of transient units and permanent party personnel can strain command oversight, prompting UCMJ investigations and administrative action when standards violations occur. When needed, matters may be reviewed by military investigators such as CID, NCIS, OSI, or CGIS, depending on branch.
Coast Guard Sector San Juan – U.S. Coast Guard
Sector San Juan oversees maritime safety, security, and law enforcement operations across a wide Caribbean area of responsibility. Its units conduct high-tempo patrols, search and rescue missions, and interdiction operations that place crews under demanding operational cycles. The mission requires rapid deployments, long watches, and coordination with federal and international partners.
The port-city environment creates legal risk tied to long-duty rotations followed by compressed liberty periods, especially near waterfront entertainment districts. Allegations of misconduct often relate to alcohol, interpersonal conflicts, or disputes arising during off-duty time in crowded tourist areas. The operational pace also leads to command-directed inquiries when fatigue, equipment handling, or orders-related issues arise within small boat stations and cutters.
Muñiz Air National Guard Base – Puerto Rico Air National Guard (U.S. Air Force Component)
Muñiz Air National Guard Base supports air defense, aviation operations, and disaster-response missions throughout the region. Aircrews and maintenance personnel experience fluctuating operational tempo depending on training cycles, hurricane-season contingencies, and joint exercises with federal and territorial agencies. The installation blends steady garrison duties with periods of intense flight-line activity and deployments.
The base’s proximity to urban nightlife, beach tourism zones, and busy travel corridors creates recurring off-duty exposure to alcohol-related incidents and relationship-based allegations that can trigger UCMJ investigations. Aviation units also face scrutiny through command-directed inquiries when safety, maintenance standards, or orders compliance come into question under high-tempo conditions. Interaction with civilian airports and surrounding communities may lead to additional administrative action when service members encounter local law enforcement.
Question: Does the UCMJ apply to service members stationed in Puerto Rico?
Answer: The UCMJ applies to service members regardless of location, including those stationed in Puerto Rico or serving on overseas assignments. Its provisions follow service members while on active duty and while performing duties under military orders.
Question: Who has authority over military justice matters and where are cases handled?
Answer: Command authority drives most decisions in the military justice system, and cases may be handled based on a service member’s assignment, command structure, and the specific facts involved. When a location is treated as overseas, coordination and jurisdictional complexity may affect where actions are processed.
Question: How do civilian laws interact with military jurisdiction in Puerto Rico?
Answer: An incident may draw attention from both civilian law enforcement and the military, depending on the circumstances. Civilian authorities and the command may each review the same event under their respective legal frameworks.
Question: How are military investigations conducted for incidents involving service members in Puerto Rico?
Answer: Investigations may be conducted by CID, NCIS, OSI, or CGIS, depending on the branch involved. These investigations commonly review statements, digital evidence, and witness accounts as part of standard fact‑gathering processes.
Question: What is the role of a civilian military defense lawyer?
Answer: Civilian military defense lawyers represent service members in court-martial and administrative actions and can coordinate with assigned military defense counsel. They operate independently of the command structure and provide representation within the military justice system’s established procedures.
Gonzalez & Waddington are civilian military defense lawyers who represent service members stationed in Puerto Rico facing the full spectrum of adverse actions under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Their work includes UCMJ investigations, court-martial charges, Article 15 nonjudicial punishment, administrative separation, and Boards of Inquiry, reflecting a practice dedicated exclusively to military justice. The firm’s attorneys handle cases involving CID, NCIS, and OSI, providing representation grounded in extensive experience with investigative procedures across all branches of the armed forces.
Puerto Rico hosts a diverse military presence shaped by joint missions, reserve components, and operational support elements that interact closely with local and regional commands. In this environment, service members may confront high-risk allegation categories such as Article 120 sexual assault, domestic violence, fraternization, drug offenses, and various forms of misconduct that can rapidly escalate within the command structure. Because military justice is inherently command-controlled, actions can progress quickly once an allegation surfaces, often impacting rank, pay, clearance eligibility, access to benefits, and long-term career trajectory before a full evidentiary review is completed.
Effective defense in this setting requires early legal intervention, particularly before providing statements or when commands are evaluating potential charging decisions. This includes scrutinizing and challenging unlawful, incomplete, or rushed investigations that may form the basis of adverse action. Gonzalez & Waddington emphasize a trial-ready approach to court-martial litigation while also providing representation in administrative proceedings worldwide, ensuring continuity of defense regardless of duty station. This information is offered to address common informational searches for “Puerto Rico military defense lawyer” and “UCMJ attorney” by service members seeking to understand their options within the military justice system.
