Collapse to view only § 806. Art. 6. Judge advocates and legal officers
- § 801. Article 1. Definitions
- § 802. Art. 2. Persons subject to this chapter
- § 803. Art. 3. Jurisdiction to try certain personnel
- § 804. Art. 4. Dismissed officer’s right to trial by court-martial
- § 805. Art. 5. Territorial applicability of this chapter
- § 806. Art. 6. Judge advocates and legal officers
- § 806a. Art. 6a. Investigation and disposition of matters pertaining to the fitness of military judges
- § 806b. Art. 6b. Rights of the victim of an offense under this chapter
§ 801. Article 1. DefinitionsIn this chapter (the Uniform Code of Military Justice):
(1) The term “Judge Advocate General” means, severally, the Judge Advocates General of the Army, Navy, and Air Force and, except when the Coast Guard is operating as a service in the Navy, an official designated to serve as Judge Advocate General of the Coast Guard by the Secretary of Homeland Security.
(2) The Navy, the Marine Corps, and the Coast Guard when it is operating as a service in the Navy, shall be considered as one armed force.
(3) The term “commanding officer” includes only commissioned officers.
(4) The term “officer in charge” means a member of the Navy, the Marine Corps, or the Coast Guard designated as such by appropriate authority.
(5) The term “superior commissioned officer” means a commissioned officer superior in rank or command.
(6) The term “cadet” means a cadet of the United States Military Academy, the United States Air Force Academy, or the United States Coast Guard Academy.
(7) The term “midshipman” means a midshipman of the United States Naval Academy and any other midshipman on active duty in the naval service.
(8) The term “military” refers to any or all of the armed forces.
(9) The term “accuser” means a person who signs and swears to charges, any person who directs that charges nominally be signed and sworn to by another, and any other person who has an interest other than an official interest in the prosecution of the accused.
(10) The term “military judge” means a judge advocate designated under section 826(c) of this title (article 26(c)) who is detailed under section 826(a) or section 830a of this title (article 26(a) or 30a).
(11) The term “military magistrate” means a commissioned officer certified for duty as a military magistrate in accordance with section 826a of this title (article 26a).
(12) The term “legal officer” means any commissioned officer of the Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard designated to perform legal duties for a command.
(13) The term “judge advocate” means—
(A) an officer of the Judge Advocate General’s Corps of the Army, the Navy, or the Air Force;
(B) an officer of the Marine Corps who is designated as a judge advocate; or
(C) a commissioned officer of the Coast Guard designated for special duty (law).
(14) The term “record”, when used in connection with the proceedings of a court-martial, means—
(A) an official written transcript, written summary, or other writing relating to the proceedings; or
(B) an official audiotape, videotape, or similar material from which sound, or sound and visual images, depicting the proceedings may be reproduced.
(15) The term “classified information” means (A) any information or material that has been determined by an official of the United States pursuant to law, an Executive order, or regulation to require protection against unauthorized disclosure for reasons of national security, and (B) any restricted data, as defined in section 11(y) of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2014(y)).
(16) The term “national security” means the national defense and foreign relations of the United States.
(17) The term “covered offense” means—
(A) an offense under section 917a (article 117a), section 918 (article 118), section 919 (article 119), section 919a (article 119a), section 920 (article 120), section 920a (article 120a), section 920b (article 120b), section 920c (article 120c), section 925 (article 125), section 928b (article 128b), section 930 (article 130), section 932 (article 132), or the standalone offense of child pornography punishable under section 934 (article 134) of this title;
(B) a conspiracy to commit an offense specified in subparagraph (A) as punishable under section 881 of this title (article 81);
(C) a solicitation to commit an offense specified in subparagraph (A) as punishable under section 882 of this title (article 82); or
(D) an attempt to commit an offense specified in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) as punishable under section 880 of this title (article 80).
(18) The term “special trial counsel” means a judge advocate detailed as a special trial counsel in accordance with section 824a of this title (article 24a) and includes a judge advocate appointed as a lead special trial counsel pursuant to section 1044f(a)(2) of this title.
(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 36; Pub. L. 89–670, § 10(g), Oct. 15, 1966, 80 Stat. 948; Pub. L. 90–179, § 1(1), (2), Dec. 8, 1967, 81 Stat. 545; Pub. L. 90–632, § 2(1), Oct. 24, 1968, 82 Stat. 1335; Pub. L. 98–209, §§ 2(a), 6(a), Dec. 6, 1983, 97 Stat. 1393, 1400; Pub. L. 100–180, div. A, title XII, § 1231(17), Dec. 4, 1987, 101 Stat. 1161; Pub. L. 100–456, div. A, title XII, § 1233(f)(1), Sept. 29, 1988, 102 Stat. 2057; Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title XI, § 1141(b), Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 467; Pub. L. 107–296, title XVII, § 1704(b)(2), Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2314; Pub. L. 109–241, title II, § 218(a), July 11, 2006, 120 Stat. 526; Pub. L. 114–328, div. E, title LI, § 5101, Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2894; Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title X, § 1081(a)(21), (c)(1)(A), Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1595, 1597; Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title V, § 533, Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 1695; Pub. L. 117–263, div. A, title V, § 541(a)(1), (b)(1), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 2579, 2580.)
§ 802. Art. 2. Persons subject to this chapter
(a) The following persons are subject to this chapter:
(1) Members of a regular component of the armed forces, and members of the Space Force on active duty under section 20105 of this title, including those awaiting discharge after expiration of their terms of enlistment; volunteers from the time of their muster or acceptance into the armed forces; inductees from the time of their actual induction into the armed forces; and other persons lawfully called or ordered into, or to duty in or for training in, the armed forces, from the dates when they are required by the terms of the call or order to obey it.
(2) Cadets, aviation cadets, and midshipmen.
(3)
(A) While on inactive-duty training and during any of the periods specified in subparagraph (B)—
(i) members of a reserve component or the Space Force; and
(ii) members of the Army National Guard of the United States or the Air National Guard of the United States, but only when in Federal service.
(B) The periods referred to in subparagraph (A) are the following:
(i) Travel to and from the inactive-duty training site of the member, pursuant to orders or regulations.
(ii) Intervals between consecutive periods of inactive-duty training on the same day, pursuant to orders or regulations.
(iii) Intervals between inactive-duty training on consecutive days, pursuant to orders or regulations.
(4) Retired members of a regular component of the armed forces who are entitled to pay.
(5) Retired members of a reserve component, or retired members of the Space Force who qualified for a non-regular retirement and are receiving retired pay, who are receiving hospitalization from an armed force.
(6) Members of the Fleet Reserve and Fleet Marine Corps Reserve.
(7) Persons in custody of the armed forces serving a sentence imposed by a court-martial.
(8) Members of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Public Health Service, and other organizations, when assigned to and serving with the armed forces.
(9) Prisoners of war in custody of the armed forces.
(10) In time of declared war or a contingency operation, persons serving with or accompanying an armed force in the field.
(11) Subject to any treaty or agreement to which the United States is or may be a party or to any accepted rule of international law, persons serving with, employed by, or accompanying the armed forces outside the United States and outside the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands.
(12) Subject to any treaty or agreement to which the United States is or may be a party or to any accepted rule of international law, persons within an area leased by or otherwise reserved or acquired for the use of the United States which is under the control of the Secretary concerned and which is outside the United States and outside the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands.
(13) Individuals belonging to one of the eight categories enumerated in Article 4 of the Convention Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, done at Geneva August 12, 1949 (6 UST 3316), who violate the law of war.
(14) Retired members of the Space Force who qualified for a regular retirement under section 20603 of this title and are receiving retired pay.
(b) The voluntary enlistment of any person who has the capacity to understand the significance of enlisting in the armed forces shall be valid for purposes of jurisdiction under subsection (a) and a change of status from civilian to member of the armed forces shall be effective upon the taking of the oath of enlistment.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person serving with an armed force who—
(1) submitted voluntarily to military authority;
(2) met the mental competency and minimum age qualifications of sections 504 and 505 of this title at the time of voluntary submission to military authority;
(3) received military pay or allowances; and
(4) performed military duties;
is subject to this chapter until such person’s active service has been terminated in accordance with law or regulations promulgated by the Secretary concerned.
(d)
(1) A member of a reserve component or the Space Force who is not on active duty and who is made the subject of proceedings under section 815 (article 15) or section 830 (article 30) with respect to an offense against this chapter may be ordered to active duty involuntarily for the purpose of—
(A) a preliminary hearing under section 832 of this title (article 32);
(B) trial by court-martial; or
(C) nonjudicial punishment under section 815 of this title (article 15).
(2) A member of a reserve component or the Space Force may not be ordered to active duty under paragraph (1) except with respect to an offense committed while the member was—
(A) on active duty; or
(B) on inactive-duty training, but in the case of members of the Army National Guard of the United States or the Air National Guard of the United States only when in Federal service.
(3) Authority to order a member to active duty under paragraph (1) shall be exercised under regulations prescribed by the President.
(4) A member may be ordered to active duty under paragraph (1) only by a person empowered to convene general courts-martial in a regular component of the armed forces or the Space Force.
(5) A member ordered to active duty under paragraph (1), unless the order to active duty was approved by the Secretary concerned, may not—
(A) be sentenced to confinement; or
(B) be required to serve a punishment consisting of any restriction on liberty during a period other than a period of inactive-duty training or active duty (other than active duty ordered under paragraph (1)).
(e) The provisions of this section are subject to section 876b(d)(2) of this title (article 76b(d)(2)).
(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 37; Pub. L. 86–70, § 6(b), June 25, 1959, 73 Stat. 142; Pub. L. 86–624, § 4(b), July 12, 1960, 74 Stat. 411; Pub. L. 87–651, title I, § 104, Sept. 7, 1962, 76 Stat. 508; Pub. L. 89–718, § 8(a), Nov. 2, 1966, 80 Stat. 1117; Pub. L. 96–107, title VIII, § 801(a), Nov. 9, 1979, 93 Stat. 810; Pub. L. 96–513, title V, § 511(24), Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2922; Pub. L. 98–209, § 13(a), Dec. 6, 1983, 97 Stat. 1408; Pub. L. 99–661, div. A, title VIII, § 804(a), Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3906; Pub. L. 100–456, div. A, title XII, § 1234(a)(1), Sept. 29, 1988, 102 Stat. 2059; Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title XI, § 1133(b), Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 466; Pub. L. 109–364, div. A, title V, § 552, Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2217; Pub. L. 109–366, § 4(a)(1), Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2631; Pub. L. 111–84, div. A, title XVIII, § 1803(a)(1), Oct. 28, 2009, 123 Stat. 2612; Pub. L. 113–66, div. A, title XVII, § 1702(c)(3)(A), Dec. 26, 2013, 127 Stat. 957; Pub. L. 114–328, div. E, title LI, § 5102, Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2894; Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title XVII, § 1722(f)(1), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 671.)
§ 803. Art. 3. Jurisdiction to try certain personnel
(a) Subject to section 843 of this title (article 43), a person who is in a status in which the person is subject to this chapter and who committed an offense against this chapter while formerly in a status in which the person was subject to this chapter is not relieved from amenability to the jurisdiction of this chapter for that offense by reason of a termination of that person’s former status.
(b) Each person discharged from the armed forces who is later charged with having fraudulently obtained his discharge is, subject to section 843 of this title (article 43), subject to trial by court-martial on that charge and is after apprehension subject to this chapter while in the custody of the armed forces for that trial. Upon conviction of that charge he is subject to trial by court-martial for all offenses under this chapter committed before the fraudulent discharge.
(c) No person who has deserted from the armed forces may be relieved from amenability to the jurisdiction of this chapter by virtue of a separation from any later period of service.
(d) A member of a reserve component or the Space Force who is subject to this chapter is not, by virtue of the termination of a period of active duty or inactive-duty training, relieved from amenability to the jurisdiction of this chapter for an offense against this chapter committed during such period of active duty or inactive-duty training.
(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 38; Pub. L. 99–661, div. A, title VIII, § 804(b), Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3907; Pub. L. 102–484, div. A, title X, § 1063, Oct. 23, 1992, 106 Stat. 2505; Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title XVII, § 1722(f)(2), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 671.)
§ 804. Art. 4. Dismissed officer’s right to trial by court-martial
(a) If any commissioned officer, dismissed by order of the President, makes a written application for trial by court-martial, setting forth, under oath, that he has been wrongfully dismissed, the President, as soon as practicable, shall convene a general court-martial to try that officer on the charges on which he was dismissed. A court-martial so convened has jurisdiction to try the dismissed officer on those charges, and he shall be considered to have waived the right to plead any statute of limitations applicable to any offense with which he is charged. The court-martial may, as part of its sentence, adjudge the affirmance of the dismissal, but if the court-martial acquits the accused or if the sentence adjudged, as finally approved or affirmed, does not include dismissal or death, the Secretary concerned shall substitute for the dismissal ordered by the President a form of discharge authorized for administrative issue.
(b) If the President fails to convene a general court-martial within six months from the presentation of an application for trial under this article, the Secretary concerned shall substitute for the dismissal ordered by the President a form of discharge authorized for administrative issue.
(c) If a discharge is substituted for a dismissal under this article, the President alone may reappoint the officer to such commissioned grade and with such rank as, in the opinion of the President, that former officer would have attained had he not been dismissed. The reappointment of such a former officer shall be without regard to the existence of a vacancy and shall affect the promotion status of other officers only insofar as the President may direct. All time between the dismissal and the reappointment shall be considered as actual service for all purposes, including the right to pay and allowances.
(d) If an officer is discharged from any armed force by administrative action or is dropped from the rolls by order of the President, he has no right to trial under this article.
(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 38.)
§ 805. Art. 5. Territorial applicability of this chapter
This chapter applies in all places.
(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 39.)
§ 806. Art. 6. Judge advocates and legal officers
(a) The assignment for duty of judge advocates of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard shall be made upon the recommendation of the Judge Advocate General of the armed force of which they are members. The assignment for duty of judge advocates of the Marine Corps shall be made by direction of the Commandant of the Marine Corps. The Judge Advocates General, and within the Marine Corps the Staff Judge Advocate to the Commandant of the Marine Corps, or senior members of their staffs, shall make frequent inspections in the field in supervision of the administration of military justice.
(b) Convening authorities shall at all times communicate directly with their staff judge advocates or legal officers in matters relating to the administration of military justice; and the staff judge advocate or legal officer of any command is entitled to communicate directly with the staff judge advocate or legal officer of a superior or subordinate command, or with the Judge Advocate General.
(c)
(1) No person who, with respect to a case, serves in a capacity specified in paragraph (2) may later serve as a staff judge advocate or legal officer to any reviewing or convening authority upon the same case.
(2) The capacities referred to in paragraph (1) are, with respect to the case involved, any of the following:
(A) Preliminary hearing officer, court member, military judge, military magistrate, or appellate judge.
(B) Counsel who have acted in the same case or appeared in any proceeding before a military judge, military magistrate, preliminary hearing officer, or appellate court.
(d)
(1) A judge advocate who is assigned or detailed to perform the functions of a civil office in the Government of the United States under section 973(b)(2)(B) of this title may perform such duties as may be requested by the agency concerned, including representation of the United States in civil and criminal cases.
(2) The Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy, shall prescribe regulations providing that reimbursement may be a condition of assistance by judge advocates assigned or detailed under section 973(b)(2)(B) of this title.
(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 39; Pub. L. 90–179, § 1(3), Dec. 8, 1967, 81 Stat. 545; Pub. L. 90–632, § 2(2), Oct. 24, 1968, 82 Stat. 1335; Pub. L. 98–209, § 2(b), Dec. 6, 1983, 97 Stat. 1393; Pub. L. 99–661, div. A, title VIII, § 807(a), Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3909; Pub. L. 107–296, title XVII, § 1704(b)(1), Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2314; Pub. L. 112–239, div. A, title V, § 531(d)(1), Jan. 2, 2013, 126 Stat. 1726; Pub. L. 114–328, div. E, title LI, § 5103, Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2895.)
§ 806a. Art. 6a. Investigation and disposition of matters pertaining to the fitness of military judges
(a) The President shall prescribe procedures for the investigation and disposition of charges, allegations, or information pertaining to the fitness of a military appellate judge, military judge, or military magistrate to perform the duties of the position involved. To the extent practicable, the procedures shall be uniform for all armed forces.
(b) The President shall transmit a copy of the procedures prescribed pursuant to this section to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives.
(Added Pub. L. 101–189, div. A, title XIII, § 1303, Nov. 29, 1989, 103 Stat. 1576; amended Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title XV, § 1502(a)(1), Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 502; Pub. L. 106–65, div. A, title X, § 1067(1), Oct. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 774; Pub. L. 114–328, div. E, title LI, § 5104, Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2895.)
§ 806b. Art. 6b. Rights of the victim of an offense under this chapter
(a)Rights of a Victim of an Offense Under This Chapter.—A victim of an offense under this chapter has the following rights:
(1) The right to be reasonably protected from the accused.
(2) The right to reasonable, accurate, and timely notice of any of the following:
(A) A public hearing concerning the continuation of confinement prior to trial of the accused.
(B) A preliminary hearing under section 832 of this title (article 32) relating to the offense.
(C) A court-martial relating to the offense.
(D) A post-trial motion, filing, or hearing that may address the finding or sentence of a court-martial with respect to the accused, unseal privileged or private information of the victim, or result in the release of the accused.
(E) A public proceeding of the service clemency and parole board relating to the offense.
(F) The release or escape of the accused, unless such notice may endanger the safety of any person.
(3) The right not to be excluded from any public hearing or proceeding described in paragraph (2) unless the military judge or preliminary hearing officer, as applicable, after receiving clear and convincing evidence, determines that testimony by the victim of an offense under this chapter would be materially altered if the victim heard other testimony at that hearing or proceeding.
(4) The right to be reasonably heard at any of the following:
(A) A public hearing concerning the continuation of confinement prior to trial of the accused.
(B) A sentencing hearing relating to the offense.
(C) A public proceeding of the service clemency and parole board relating to the offense.
(5) The reasonable right to confer with the counsel representing the Government at any proceeding described in paragraph (2).
(6) The right to receive restitution as provided in law.
(7) The right to proceedings free from unreasonable delay.
(8) The right to be informed in a timely manner of any plea agreement, separation-in-lieu-of-trial agreement, or non-prosecution agreement relating to the offense, unless providing such information would jeopardize a law enforcement proceeding or would violate the privacy concerns of an individual other than the accused.
(9) The right to be treated with fairness and with respect for the dignity and privacy of the victim of an offense under this chapter.
(b)Victim of an Offense Under This Chapter Defined.—In this section, the term “victim of an offense under this chapter” means an individual who has suffered direct physical, emotional, or pecuniary harm as a result of the commission of an offense under this chapter.
(c)Appointment of Individuals to Assume Rights for Certain Victims.—In the case of a victim of an offense under this chapter who is under 18 years of age (but who is not a member of the armed forces), incompetent, incapacitated, or deceased, the legal guardians of the victim or the representatives of the victim’s estate, family members, or any other person designated as suitable by the military judge, may assume the rights of the victim under this section. However, in no event may the individual so designated be the accused.
(d)Rule of Construction.—Nothing in this section (article) shall be construed—
(1) to authorize a cause of action for damages;
(2) to create, to enlarge, or to imply any duty or obligation to any victim of an offense under this chapter or other person for the breach of which the United States or any of its officers or employees could be held liable in damages; or
(3) to impair the exercise of discretion under sections 830 and 834 of this title (articles 30 and 34).
(e)Enforcement by Court of Criminal Appeals.—
(1) If the victim of an offense under this chapter believes that a preliminary hearing ruling under section 832 of this title (article 32) or a court-martial ruling violates the rights of the victim afforded by a section (article) or rule specified in paragraph (4), the victim may petition the Court of Criminal Appeals for a writ of mandamus to require the preliminary hearing officer or the court-martial to comply with the section (article) or rule.
(2) If the victim of an offense under this chapter is subject to an order to submit to a deposition, notwithstanding the availability of the victim to testify at the court-martial trying the accused for the offense, the victim may petition the Court of Criminal Appeals for a writ of mandamus to quash such order.
(3)
(A) A petition for a writ of mandamus described in this subsection shall be forwarded directly to the Court of Criminal Appeals, by such means as may be prescribed by the President, subject to section 830a of this title (article 30a).
(B) To the extent practicable, a petition for a writ of mandamus described in this subsection shall have priority over all other proceedings before the Court of Criminal Appeals.
(C) Review of any decision of the Court of Criminal Appeals on a petition for a writ of mandamus described in this subsection shall have priority in the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, as determined under the rules of the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces.
(4) Paragraph (1) applies with respect to the protections afforded by the following:
(A) This section (article).
(B) Section 832 (article 32) of this title.
(C) Military Rule of Evidence 412, relating to the admission of evidence regarding a victim’s sexual background.
(D) Military Rule of Evidence 513, relating to the psychotherapist-patient privilege.
(E) Military Rule of Evidence 514, relating to the victim advocate-victim privilege.
(F) Military Rule of Evidence 615, relating to the exclusion of witnesses.
(f)Counsel for Accused Interview of Victim of Alleged Offense.—
(1) Upon notice by counsel for the Government to counsel for the accused of the name of an alleged victim of an offense under this chapter who counsel for the Government intends to call as a witness at a proceeding under this chapter, counsel for the accused shall make any request to interview the victim through the Special Victims’ Counsel or other counsel for the victim, if applicable.
(2) If requested by an alleged victim who is subject to a request for interview under paragraph (1), any interview of the victim by counsel for the accused shall take place only in the presence of the counsel for the Government, a counsel for the victim, or, if applicable, a victim advocate.
(Added Pub. L. 113–66, div. A, title XVII, § 1701(a)(1), Dec. 26, 2013, 127 Stat. 952; amended Pub. L. 113–291, div. A, title V, §§ 531(f), 535, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3364, 3368; Pub. L. 114–92, div. A, title V, § 531, Nov. 25, 2015, 129 Stat. 814; Pub. L. 114–328, div. E, title LI, § 5105, title LVI, § 5203(e)(1), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2895, 2906; Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title V, § 531(a), title X, § 1081(a)(22), (c)(1)(B), Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1384, 1595, 1597; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title V, § 541, Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3611; Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title V, § 541, Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 1708.)