Tully Rinckey PLLC has announced that Bethany L. Payton-O’Brien has joined the firm’s San Diego, C.A. office as Partner. As a Partner at Tully Rinckey PLLC, she focuses her practice on security clearance representation and military law, including litigation, dispute resolution, criminal law and administrative law. She can represent clients before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, as well as military review boards and trial courts.
“I am honored to join the Tully Rinckey team and look forward to continuing my expertise in military law to help those in need of my legal services. If you are a serviceman or servicewoman facing a disciplinary hearing or a military legal matter, you can count on my sound and experienced legal representation,” said Payton-O’Brien.
Prior to joining Tully Rinckey PLLC, Bethany retired as a Captain from the Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG), where she was a Senior Military Judge for the Navy-Marine-Corps Trial Judiciary, Southwest District, Western Judicial Circuit, in San Diego. She adjudicated the full spectrum of more than 200 felony and misdemeanor criminal cases, including numerous sexual assault, fraud, property crime and drug cases, as well as officer misconduct. Bethany was also previously a Senior Appellate Judge on the Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals. She has prosecuted and defended military members in hundreds of cases ranging from larceny to murder. She has served as Staff Judge Advocate to numerous flag officers during her career. Bethany has also served in Washington, D.C.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Norfolk, Va.; Groton, Conn.; Bremerton, Wash.; and Yokosuka, Japan. Bethany received the Navy JAG Corps’ certification in the Military Justice Litigation Qualification track in 2008.
Ms. Payton-O’Brien earned her Bachelor of Art’s degree from Wayne State University and her Juris Doctorate from DePaul College of Law. She received her Master of Laws degree in trial advocacy from California Western School of Law and earned a Certificate in Judicial Development in General Jurisdiction Trial Skills from the National Judicial College.
Ms. Payton-O’Brien is a member of the Chicago Bar Association and serves on the Military Courts Committee for the National Association of Women Judges. Bethany enjoys educating and has taught at military law symposiums in India and Mexico. She conducted numerous trainings for Navy personnel on the subjects of litigation and Victim-Witness Advocacy. She has been published by the Federal Criminal Defense Journal.