MILITARY LAW BLOG
WHAT ARE THE PENALTIES FOR ARTICLE 15 CHARGES?
The Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) provides military commanders with a tool for maintaining discipline, and gives them the authority to impose non-judicial punishment (NJP) under Article 15 for minor offenses. Article 15 hearings, as they are known in the Air Force and Army, are also known as Captain’s Mast in the Coast Guard and Navy, and … Read more
DEFENSE SECRETARY CALLS ON NAVAL ACADEMY GRADS TO END MILITARY SEXUAL ASSAULT
This month, the Naval Academy’s 164th graduation ceremony ushered in more than a thousand new officers to the fleet. In total, the academy’s graduation class produced 784 Navy ensigns and 265 Marine Corps second lieutenants. Approximately 20% of commissioned officers were women. During the commencement and commission of the Class of 2014, keynote speaker Secretary of … Read more
IS THERE A JURY IN A COURT MARTIAL?
Trials by courts-martial are military courts that dispose of serious offenses for service members. In many ways, court martial hearings are similar to civilian criminal hearings, but there are also many differences. Because juries are comprised of the defendant’s peers, military court martial cases do have juries, but these juries are comprised of commissioned officers … Read more
PROPOSED BILL WOULD GET RID OF “GOOD SOLDIER DEFENSE” IN MILITARY SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES
A new bill proposed last week – on Monday, May 5th – would prevent service members facing sexual assault allegations from using the “good soldier defense.” This means that there would be no consideration of a service member’s military character when deciding whether they should be prosecuted for sexual assault. The 2015 Defense authorization bill, which … Read more
QUESTIONS RAISED OVER PROSECUTION, CONVICTION RATES FOR MILITARY SEXUAL ASSAULTS
In light of a new report released by the Justice Department last week, questions are being raised regarding the amount of military sexual assault cases resulting in convictions. The report – which was released on May 1st and detailed in a previous blog – revealed that of the 5,061 reported assaults and more than 2,100 cases that could … Read more
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN HIRING A COURT MARTIAL ATTORNEY
Any service member who has been accused of committing a crime has the right to retain a court martial attorney. Rather than facing your punishment hearing alone, face your reprimand hearing with a trusted attorney by your side. This can make a great deal of difference in your case. Not all court martial attorneys are … Read more
DOD: REPORTS OF MILITARY SEXUAL ASSAULT INCREASE BY 50 PERCENT
According to new statistics released by the Department of Defense on Thursday, May 1, the number of reports of military sexual assault increased by 50% last year. Although this may seem shocking, officials are viewing the increase in filed claims as a positive sign that the system is working. The military has faced years of … Read more
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO BE ACTIVE IN YOUR DEFENSE
When you’re in trouble and you ask for help, you expect the best possible effort that the person you reach out to can provide. You want them to represent you in a manner that best displays your remorse, character, and/or innocence. If you’re reaching out to a friend then you would have no reason to … Read more
FREE LEGAL ADVICE FOR VETERANS THIS FRIDAY
The Bell County Bar Association will offer free legal advice at a clinic this Friday afternoon at Texas A&M University – Central Texas. The clinic will be held at Founder’s Hall on the main campus of the university from 1p.m. to 4p.m. All U.S. veterans and spouses of deceased veterans are welcome, free of charge. At the … Read more
CGIS: COAST GUARD INVESTIGATIVE SERVICE
Each branch of the U.S. military has its own investigative service unit. In the Coast Guard, this unit is referred to as CGIS or Coast Guard Investigative Service. CGIS a branch of the military that has the authority to act in a federal law enforcement capacity. It derives this authority from Title 14 of the … Read more
NCIS: NAVAL CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIVE SERVICE
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service, or NCIS, is the investigative branch of the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps. NCIS is responsible for investigating and bringing an end to all criminal, terrorist or foreign intelligence activities that may pose a threat to the Navy or Marine Corps. Their jurisdiction and reach extends to acts committed … Read more
AFOSI: AIR FORCE OFFICE OF SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS
The Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) is a federal agency that has the full power to conduct criminal investigations, act in a federal law enforcement capacity and provide counter-intelligence services to the Air Force, Department of Defense and the U.S. Government as a whole. The AFOSI’s mission is “to identify, exploit and neutralize … Read more