FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 22, 2025
A recent article published in the Juvenile and Family Court Journal highlights significant challenges and a proposed resolution for legal jurisdiction over juveniles in military-connected families.
Christopher Arnold, the mid-Atlantic regional liaison for the Defense-State Liaison Office and an Army combat veteran, collaborated with military spouses Lori Volkman and Carlie James Petrovics, both attorneys working in private practice, on the research.
Their article reviewed the complexities of how military and civilian courts share legal authority for juvenile cases on military installations.
The team analyzed gaps in the existing framework for addressing problematic behaviors of minors on military installations and proposed a detailed concurrent juvenile jurisdiction model.
Their work underscores the challenges of establishing a clear legal structure, informed by an in-depth review of juvenile law.
The proposed shared system for juvenile jurisdiction includes changes to state laws, such as:
- Adding juvenile cases to jurisdictional statutes
- Clearly defining status offenses
- Setting clear boundaries for legal authority
- Allowing formal agreements between governments
Published in a special edition focused on military-connected families and the courts, the article presents a model developed by the DSLO to create seamless legal processes and bridge jurisdictional divides between military and civilian law.
“The research not only elevates the intergovernmental relations work of the Defense-State Liaison Office, but also demonstrates the subject matter expertise of Military Community and Family Policy in resolving complex jurisdictional issues,” said Sarah Stein, director of the Federal and State Legislative Resource Office. “These issues directly impact the well-being of military families and, by extension, overall force capability and readiness.
Findings and recommendations presented in the journal article have already informed legislative reforms across 23 states, said Stein
“These reforms support installation commanders’ ability to maintain good order and discipline within their communities more effectively, allowing them to focus without distraction on core defense missions,” Stein said.
This research contributes to ongoing Department of War efforts to remove barriers to juvenile justice on military installations, while ensuring young people have access to appropriate rehabilitative services through state juvenile justice systems.
The Juvenile and Family Court Journal is a peer-reviewed publication. The article — Domestic “Relations” at the Defense Department: Toward a Framework for Concurrent Jurisdiction Over Juveniles — was published in October.
About the Defense-State Liaison Office
The Defense-State Liaison Office is the primary point of contact between the War Department and state and local governments on quality of life issues that benefit military service members and their families. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the Defense-State Liaison Office works through regional liaisons to build and maintain relationships with state and local governments to provide expert insight on priorities affecting military families and their quality of life. Regional liaisons’ roles are critical to supporting the nation’s defense and security by providing an unmatched communication link between the War Department and state and local governments. Visit https://statepolicy.militaryonesource.mil/ to learn more about the Defense-State Liaison Office.
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