Worldwide Court Martial Attorney – Strategic Defense for U.S. Service Members

Being called before a court-martial isn’t just another event in your military career—it’s a moment that can shift the ground beneath you. Unlike the private counseling or informal discipline some service members might expect, this is a full-scale legal proceeding. And it’s criminal. You’re not stepping into a room for a chat—you’re stepping into a courtroom that operates under military command, with consequences that can erase your rank, your pay, and your future. The moment your command notifies you of charges, everything accelerates: evidence collection begins, witnesses are questioned, and prosecutors begin shaping their version of events. This isn’t the time for passive decisions or one-size-fits-all legal help. This is where having an experienced court martial attorney can be the difference between salvaging your career and losing it all. The system moves fast, and it doesn’t always wait for facts to catch up with accusations. You need to be ready before it gets moving.

Counsel From a Former Army JAG Officer

Joseph L. Jordan understands the military from the inside out. Before becoming a full-time court martial lawyer, he served as a U.S. Army JAG officer—advising commanders, preparing trial strategies, and working in environments where chain of command and legal authority intersect every day. His practice wasn’t born from theory. It was built through years of litigation at bases around the world. He’s handled trials for service members stationed in Europe, Asia, and across the U.S., and he’s defended every rank—from junior enlisted to senior officers. Whether you’re looking at a general court-martial for a felony-level accusation or fighting a nonjudicial punishment that threatens your record, Mr. Jordan brings the insight of someone who knows what military justice looks like when it’s unfolding in real time. He doesn’t just prepare for trial—he prepares for everything the command might do to get a conviction.

Understanding the Structure of Military Justice

Military justice isn’t a single process—it’s a layered system with different paths, different pressures, and different risks. You might be facing an administrative separation, an Article 15, or a full-blown court-martial. Each venue has its own rules, standards of proof, and consequences. But no matter which process you’re caught in, it has the power to permanently affect your benefits, career, and legal record. The Uniform Code of Military Justice gives your command wide authority, and unless you know how to respond in each unique setting, that authority can be used quickly and decisively. That’s why Joseph Jordan treats each case differently—because in military justice, every detail matters, from command history to forum selection.

Article 32 Preliminary Hearing

Before a general court-martial can move forward, there’s a required checkpoint: the Article 32 hearing. This isn’t the trial itself, but it’s often the most important day in the process. It’s the only time before trial that witnesses can be cross-examined under oath, the government’s case can be challenged, and the record can be shaped. Too many defense lawyers treat this as a routine phase. Joseph Jordan treats it as a tactical opportunity. He uses the Article 32 hearing to pin down prosecution claims, limit charges, or in some cases, get them dropped altogether. It’s not just a hearing—it’s your first shot at turning the momentum in your favor.

Summary Court-Martial

When the military offers a summary court-martial, it’s often sold as a “quicker, easier” way to handle things. But the fine print matters. In a summary court-martial, you’re judged by a single officer, you may not be entitled to legal counsel, and your rights are sharply limited. Even if the penalties seem minor—like 30 days of confinement or loss of pay—they can leave marks on your record that follow you for years. Joseph Jordan routinely advises clients to think twice before accepting summary disposition. In many cases, pushing for a higher forum opens the door to better protections and better outcomes.

Special Court-Martial

A special court-martial might sound mid-level, but the consequences aren’t. This is a formal criminal trial, with a judge, panel, and prosecution team. It can end with confinement, forfeiture of pay, or a bad conduct discharge. For many service members, this is the line between continuing their career or walking away in shame. Jordan handles special courts-martial with the same intensity he brings to the most serious trials. He builds defense strategies tailored to the accusations, exposes command influence when it appears, and fights aggressively on motions, panel selection, and narrative control.

General Court-Martial

This is the most serious trial forum in military law. It’s where the government brings felony-level accusations—sexual assault, fraud, homicide, espionage. The penalties include life imprisonment, dismissal from the service, and in rare cases, even the death penalty. The prosecution will be well-resourced, coordinated, and relentless. Your defense needs to be smarter. Joseph Jordan doesn’t approach general courts-martial like they’re just about evidence. He looks at motive, command dynamics, pretrial pressure, and legal vulnerabilities that others miss. His experience as a former prosecutor gives him insight into the tactics you’re likely to face—and how to get ahead of them.

Non-Judicial Punishment (Article 15)

Article 15, sometimes called NJP, isn’t a trial—but that doesn’t mean it’s harmless. Commanders have the power to impose punishments like extra duty, pay loss, or restriction based on their own review of the facts. You don’t have a jury. You don’t have guaranteed representation. But you do have options. In many cases, you can refuse the NJP and demand a trial. That’s not a decision to take lightly. Jordan walks clients through the pros and cons of accepting NJP versus pushing for court-martial—and when the command gets it wrong, he’s ready to expose the flaws in their process.

Administrative Separation Boards and Boards of Inquiry

Not every career ends with a court-martial. Sometimes, the military pushes members out through administrative boards. These forums don’t require proof beyond a reasonable doubt. They move faster. And they can strip you of benefits, VA access, and retirement eligibility without a conviction. For enlisted members, this means a separation board. For officers, it’s a Board of Inquiry. Either way, you need a court martial lawyer who treats the process seriously—interviewing witnesses, countering assumptions, and reframing the entire case in your favor.

What Is a Court-Martial?

A court-martial is the legal process the military uses to handle criminal accusations against service members. What sets it apart from the civilian justice system is how it begins and who controls it. In civilian courts, an independent prosecutor brings charges. In the military, it’s your command that makes that call. They decide if charges move forward, which charges stick, and who will hear the case. That means the same people who enforce discipline also have significant influence over how justice plays out. There are three main types of court-martial, each used for different levels of alleged misconduct:

• Summary court-martial – used for minor infractions. Limited rights. Often fast-tracked.
• Special court-martial – mid-level charges with serious consequences, including confinement and discharge.
• General court-martial – felony-level offenses. Highest penalties, including life imprisonment or dismissal.

Knowing which level you face is just the start. The real fight is in how that trial unfolds—and how prepared your defense is at every stage.

FAQs About Courts-Martial

What’s the difference between general, special, and summary courts-martial?

The military doesn’t run every case through the same process. Some situations call for a full-blown trial with a judge, panel, and years of consequences on the line. Others might be resolved in a small room, with just one officer calling the shots. A general court-martial is where the military sends its most serious cases—charges like rape, aggravated assault, or high-level fraud. The kind of offenses that, if proven, could end with a dishonorable discharge or even years in prison. Special courts-martial are for cases that still matter—drug use, repeated misconduct, disrespect to superiors—but don’t rise to the same level. There’s still a judge, still legal procedure, and real consequences like confinement or a bad conduct discharge. Then there’s the summary court-martial. It’s faster. Less formal. And yet, the impact can stick—reduction in rank, pay cuts, even time in confinement. Don’t let the labels mislead you. Each version carries its own risks, and the forum you're sent to often says more about your command’s intentions than it does about the severity of the actual charge. That’s something a seasoned court martial attorney will pick up on right away.

Who decides whether a court-martial happens?

That decision falls to the convening authority—typically a senior officer such as a base commander or general. They control whether charges move forward, what charges are included, and who’s selected to hear the case. Their choices are central to the strategy your court martial attorney must prepare for.

How long does a court-martial take?

Timelines vary. Summary proceedings can finish in days. Special courts-martial might last a few months. General trials often span six months or more, especially when there’s an Article 32 hearing or complex evidence. The earlier your lawyer starts building your case, the better chance you have to shape the process—not just react to it.

What actually happens during a court-martial trial?

Once you're in the courtroom, the pace becomes focused and formal. Things usually begin with each side presenting opening statements—these frame how they want the panel or judge to interpret what’s coming next. Then come the witnesses. They take the stand, give their accounts, and are questioned—first by the side that called them, then cross-examined by the other. It’s not a casual back-and-forth. Every question and answer can shift how the case is perceived. After both sides have presented what they have—witnesses, documents, arguments—they each get one last chance to speak. This is when they deliver closing arguments. It’s less about repeating facts and more about telling the story they want the decision-makers to believe. When that’s over, the panel heads into deliberation. And here’s something many service members don’t realize: you don’t need a unanimous vote to be convicted. In a military trial, it takes just three-fourths of the panel to decide you’re guilty. That lower threshold makes it even more critical that your defense leaves no doubt hanging in the room.

What outcomes can result from a court-martial?

Sentencing depends heavily on what the charges are, but the range is wide. For less serious cases, the result might be a rank reduction or partial forfeiture of pay. In more severe situations, confinement is on the table—sometimes for years. Discharges vary too. You might walk away with a bad conduct discharge or, if the panel sees the case as especially egregious, a dishonorable one. For the most serious crimes, life sentences or even capital punishment can apply—though those are rare. And while you can appeal the outcome, your chances improve dramatically if the trial was handled strategically and by someone who knew how to challenge each part of the prosecution’s case from the beginning.

Why Choosing the Right Court Martial Attorney Matters

This isn’t traffic court. The military justice system is fast, insular, and unforgiving. If your attorney doesn’t understand the culture, the politics, or the pressure points inside your command, they’ll miss what matters most. Joseph Jordan is not an outsider to this system. He’s served in it. He’s worked both sides. And he builds defenses that anticipate how commands and prosecutors think. His preparation is deep, his strategy is case-specific, and his results speak for themselves.

Don’t Take on the UCMJ Alone

Every decision you make—from your first statement to your choice of court martial lawyer—will influence what happens next. You’re not just defending your innocence. You’re defending your future. Joseph L. Jordan has built a national reputation for military defense, one case at a time. From general court-martial trials to administrative hearings, from initial investigations to final appeals—he fights to win, and he fights for those who serve. Call (888) 256-0348 or schedule a confidential case review. The system won’t wait. Neither should you.