MILITARY COURTS

Military personnel are subject to a unique set of laws and rules, which are commonly referred to as martial law. When accused of violating these laws, military personnel may face a court-martial trial in a military court. Military courts have sets of procedural and administrative guidelines specific to military law. The judges, court officials, and panels of members (juries), are all comprised of military personnel. Because the rights of military personnel and the rules of military law practice are so different from those of civilians and civilian law, it is vital for those facing a court-martial to seek the legal counsel of an attorney who has experiencing handling cases in military courts.

If you or a loved one is facing charges in military court, please contact us today for a complimentary consultation with an aggressive attorney who has extensive experience with martial law and military courts.

Military Court Trials

There are three types of military court trials, known as court-martials. Each one has a slightly different makeup and deals with a different level of crime. They are:

• Summary court-martial This type of court-martial is reserved for minor crimes punishable by up to 30 days imprisonment. A single officer serves as judge and jury.
• Special court-martial Crimes tried in these courts are rough military equivalents of civilian misdemeanors. These courts handle crimes punishable by imprisonment of up to a year long. This type of court-martial uses a single judge and a panel of at least three members.
• General court-martial This type of court-martial deals with serious crimes, the maximum penalties of which depend on the particular crime committed. A single judge and a panel of at least five members decide the outcome in these cases.

Convictions in Military Courts

A military court conviction often results in much harsher penalties than those associated with similar crimes in civilian courts. Possible penalties of military court convictions include:

• Imprisonment
• Dishonorable discharge from military service
• Loss of military benefits including pension
• Large fines
• Limited employability
• Loss of right to own deadly weapons
• Loss of right to vote

Facing charges in a military court? If you or a loved one is facing charges in any military court, please contact Imhoff & Associates today for a free, no-obligation consultation with an aggressive and effective criminal defense attorney who has extensive experience defending those accused of military crimes.

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