At the Aug. 14 meeting of the Captain Samuel Felt Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, Matthew R. Cooper, of the Schuitmaker, Cooper and Cypher law firm, spoke about his work helping servicemen, servicewomen and veterans.

Cooper is a 26-year attorney in Paw Paw, who has clients in personal injury, wrongful death, probate and general estate matters. However, he has found a special place in using his profession to support the country’s military, both current and veteran.

As Cooper made perfectly clear, laws protecting soldiers and veterans have their roots dating to the American Revolution.

George Washington said, “When we assumed the soldier, we did not lay aside the citizen.”

So as a country, as a government, when citizens fight for their country as soldiers, citizens must protect what they have left when they go to protect what the country holds dear. That means each: family, home, job and any other asset of the soldier because (as he said) these men and women are “our most precious resource.”

During the Civil War, both Lincoln and Jefferson Davis renewed what Washington put in place. In 1918 for World War I, these laws were again renewed as the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Civil Relief Act. In 1940, Congress re-established them again, but with no expiration. Because much had changed in our military over those next 60 years, Congress updated these laws in 2003 to the Servicemember’s Civil Relief Act.

However, when Sgt. James Hurley, of the Michigan National Guard, went to Iraq in 2004 for Operation Iraqi Freedom, he left behind his family and a home of 10 years on the Paw Paw River, believing that he was going to protect his country and that his country would protect him and his family.

The Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas foreclosed on his home and evicted his family. All inquiries for help were met with “don’t worry, they can’t do that.” But the bank did.

When Sgt. Hurley returned home, all his things were gone and someone else was living in his home. Matt Cooper took on the case. Through five years of litigation and hard work, justice was served.

The Deutsche Bank and several other US mortgage servicers were found guilty of intentional fraud and violations to the SCRA. They were all heavily fined — not only for the Hurley home but also the other more than 900 military members who were illegally foreclosed upon over those years.

Sgt. Hurley and his family did not regain their home, nor did any of the others with a legal sale – but the 2003 Servicemembers Civil Relief Act has “The Hurley Amendments” to ensure that this does not happen again. These amendments are due to the action of Matt Cooper and those who supported his efforts in this case.

A thank-you to Cordell Jones whose work as representing the G W Jones Exchange Bank, Cooper said was instrumental in achieving “The Hurley Amendments.”

“A Soldier’s Home” by Matt Cooper gives the background and detailed events leading to the conviction and settlements. He has continued these efforts through the SCRA Foundation to assist current and veteran service members and their families, especially in court intervention and reducing homelessness.

Something Cooper discovered in his working the judicial system for this case was the lack of knowledge many judicial members had of these laws for current duty members of all the military services as well as their veterans. He has written several judge’s guides for various states with more states requesting them — a total of over 15 so far. These guides are not just for judges, but for all who work with the SCRA such as: service members and their families, JAG officers, attorneys, paralegals, media, etc. — and are made available free of charge through the SCRA Foundation.

Another book of Cooper’s that he shared with the chapter is “Making a Marine In the 21st Century.” It is an account of Matt’s son, Drew, and his experience at Marine boot camp in San Diego, California. The narrative is written in the format of their exchange of letters through what Drew says “changed my life forever.”

People can learn more online through the websites: scrafoundation.org or scrafoundation.org/matthew-r-cooper-j-d and through his book, “A Soldier’s Home: United States Service Members vs. Wall Street.”