Courts-Martial in Georgia

Hinesville Military Law Attorneys Are Former JAG Members

Are you a military member facing a court-martial in the United States? Courts-martial are criminal trials which are held by the United States military. Typically, they are convened for the purpose of trying members of the military for violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ)—the criminal code of the U.S. military. Courts-martial can also be convened for military tribunals and enforcement of martial law. Trials of this kind are governed by the procedures discussed in the Manual for Courts-Martial. Our team understands how to defend military service members because our lead attorneys were members of the Army Judge Advocate General's Corps.

Types of Courts-Martial

Under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, there are three types of courts-martial. The three types are summary, special, and general court-martial. Descriptions of each kind are included below:

Summary Court-Martial  
Summary court-martial is held by one commissioned officer. The purpose of a summary court-martial is to try the enlisted personnel for noncapital offenses. In a summary court-martial, any punishment can be imposed that is not forbidden by law.

Various punishments include:

Special Court-Martial  
Special court-martial includes no less than three members and a military judge. Upon the request of the accused, he or she may be tried alone by a military judge. This type of court-martial is often viewed as a civilian misdemeanor court action.

Punishments that can be imposed in a special court-martial include:

General Court-Martial  
In a general court-martial, no less than five members and a military judge will be present. In some cases, the accused can be tried alone by the military judge upon request. General courts-martial are classified as a civilian felony court because more serious offenses of the UCMJ are judged. In a general court-martial, any punishment that is not prohibited by the UCMJ can be issued. When specifically authorized, death may even be the deserved punishment.