Attorney Jeffrey Meeks

My Education & the Early Years: 1983-1985

I attended law school in Provo, Utah at Brigham Young University, graduating in 1984 and entering the Marine Corps that same year. This began a decades-long journey that has brought me to where I am today.

Important experiences during this time include:

• June 1983: I attended Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Virginia under the PLC (Law) program.
• August 1983: I graduated Officer Candidate School and accepted my commission as a Second Lieutenant.
• April 1984: I graduated law school and was admitted to the Utah State Bar.
• November 1984: I entered The Basic School and graduated in April 1985.
• August 1985: I completed the Naval Justice School and was certified as a judge advocate and awarded the MOS of 4402.

The Beginning of My Career as an Attorney: 1985-1988

The next stage of my life kickstarted my career as an attorney after reporting to the Marine Corps Air Station in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii and being assigned to the Joint Law Center. In 1985, I began my first tour as a defense counsel.

I represented Marines and Sailors charged with offenses such as:

• Disrespect
• Drug use
• Rape
• Sexual molestation
• Theft and destruction of an Armored Assault Vehicle (AAV)

In this time, I was able to obtain acquittals in cases that involved allegations of officer misconduct involving a Navy Lieutenant Commander, child molestation, grand larceny, and rape.

In 1986, I was promoted to Captain.

Gaining Experience through Extensive Representation: 1988-1991

In 1988, I was assigned to the Legal Service Support Section after reporting to the Headquarters and Service Battalion, 3d Force Service Support Group in Okinawa, Japan. I prosecuted and defended offenses involving rape, child abuse, assault, homicide, and armed robbery while serving as an Officer in Charge of the Legal Service Support Team, Camp Kinser, Trial Counsel, Defense Counsel, and Senior Defense Counsel.

I was also deployed as a legal advisor to the following exercises:

• Team Spirit exercises in Korea
• Thalay Thai exercises in Thailand
• Cobra Gold exercises in Thailand

In addition, I served aboard the USS Blue Ridge in the Persian Gulf during Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm as deputy staff judge advocate for Naval Forces Central Command.

Further Education as a Teacher and Student: 1991-1995

The next several years of my career were focused on teaching and instructing others in the field of military law, before going on to obtain a Master in Laws in Military Law myself.

I taught in a number of capacities, including the following:

• I served as an instructor in the Evidence section of the Criminal Law Department at the Naval Justice School in Newport, Rhode Island, teaching legal officer and new accession lawyer courses.
• I traveled around the world teaching senior officer courses.
• I became the Trial Advocacy Instructor and Coordinator at the Naval Justice School and helped to majorly revise the military justice and trial advocacy curriculum at the school.

During my time at the school, I was also promoted to Major. In 1994, I took the year-long career course at The Army Judge Advocate General’s School in Charlottesville, Virginia in order to obtain my Master in Laws in Military Law. In 1995, I graduated on the Commandant’s List.

Leading in Litigation: 1995-1998

In June 1995, I was assigned to the Legal Service Support Section at Headquarters and Service Battalion, 2d Force Service Support Group at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. For more than two years, I was the Senior Defense Counsel and supervised 10 defense attorneys.

I supervised cases involving serious offenses such as:

• Supply fraud
• Hazing
• Aggravated assault
• Rape
• Child molestation
• Computer crimes
• Drug distribution
• Felony larceny
• Capital murder

In this time, I was able to acquit clients in cases involving many of these offenses.

In 1997, I was involved in the infamous “Blood Pinning” case involving a hazing ritual with Marines and jump wings. During this time, I also successfully handled my first capital case, secured an outcome that kept the death sentence off the table, and ensured my client would not spend life behind bars.

In 1998, I was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. I also served as the Officer in Charge of the Legal Service Support Section.

Regional Defense Counsel: 1999-2004

In 1999, I supervised more than 20 attorneys at the Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune, as the Regional Defense Counsel for the Eastern Region of the United States. These attorneys provided defense services to all the Marine Corps installations on the East Coast. I was involved in investigations concerning the V-22 Osprey, and I personally provided representation for clients facing complex allegations of capital murder and senior officer misconduct.

In 2001, I was assigned as the Director of the Depot Law Center after reporting to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot on Parris Island.

My responsibilities there included:

• Providing legal services to the Depot and Eastern Recruiting Region
• Supervising the prosecutorial function for all MCRD and Eastern Recruiting Region cases

It was this experience that gave me an insider’s perspective on the difficulties of recruiting and training new Marines and the challenges faced by non-commissioned officers in this area.

Experience as a Senior Military Judge: 2004-2009

After designation as a Military Judge, I reported to the Sierra Judicial Circuit, Navy Marine Corps Trial Judiciary. In 2005, I became the deputy Circuit Judge.

In 2006, I became the Senior Judge over the Sierra Judicial District when all the Navy and Marine Corps judicial activities on the West Coast were consolidated into the Western Judicial Circuit.

I presided over numerous high-profile cases involving:

• Drowning
• Recruit abuse
• Recruiter misconduct at MCRD San Diego
• Homicide cases in Iraq

During these years, I got to know the personality of many in the Western Judicial Circuit and utilize this experience to better serve my clients.

Utilizing Decades of Experience on Your Behalf

After more than 30 years of extremely in-depth experience in the military justice system, I maintain a commitment to protecting the rights of the accused, a commitment to ensuring that only admissible evidence goes before the trier of fact, and a commitment to upholding justice while fighting for the best possible outcome given the circumstances.