Federal SCRA
Family, dependents & survivors
Understand where family members may have related protections—and where the facts must be checked benefit by benefit.
Protections worth checking
Deployment-related child-custody safeguards
Possible court protection for family members or others responsible for the same debt
Court help for some dependents when military service makes it harder to pay or comply
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Read articleFederal SCRA details
10Housing and leases
Court help for a servicemember's dependent
Check the family relationship and debt or contract
Housing and leases
Court help for a servicemember's dependent
A qualifying dependent may ask a court for certain SCRA protections involving rent, contracts, mortgages, property claims, or leases when the member's service seriously affects the dependent's ability to pay or comply. This does not automatically extend every SCRA benefit.
The person is a qualifying dependent, and the member's service seriously affects that person's ability to pay a debt or follow the contract.
The dependent must ask a court.
Check the family relationship and debt or contract → get help
Facing foreclosure, eviction, repossession, wage garnishment, a property sale, or a court deadline? Get legal help now.
17Courts, collections, and custody
Child custody during deployment
Review the deployment and orders
Courts, collections, and custody
Child custody during deployment
A temporary custody order based on deployment must end when the deployment no longer justifies it. Deployment or possible deployment cannot be the only reason for permanently changing custody. A state law that gives more protection still controls.
The member has a qualifying deployment and is involved in a temporary or permanent custody case.
Raise the protection in the custody case.
Review the deployment and orders → get help now
Facing foreclosure, eviction, repossession, wage garnishment, a property sale, or a court deadline? Get legal help now.
18Courts, collections, and custody
Court protection for someone else responsible for the same debt
Identify anyone else responsible for the debt
Courts, collections, and custody
Court protection for someone else responsible for the same debt
When a court pauses a servicemember's case or sets aside a judgment, it may extend similar protection to another person responsible for the same debt.
The servicemember has received court protection, and another person is also responsible for the same debt or contract.
Ask the court.
Identify anyone else responsible for the debt → get help
Facing foreclosure, eviction, repossession, wage garnishment, a property sale, or a court deadline? Get legal help now.