Military Court Martial Explained

As a member of the armed forces, you have no doubt heard of various forms of punishment for different offenses. Although the military court martial is no doubt familiar to you, here we offer a simple explanation of what to expect if you are facing one. A court martial is a criminal trial conducted by the military. For the most part, they are used to try a service member for a violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

There are three levels of courts martial. They are organized by severity of the offense and include summary, special and general.

• Summary trial can confine a junior enlisted service member for up to 30 days.
• Summary variety is similar to a civilian conviction in a federal district court.

• Special trial can involve confinement for up to a year and gives a bad conduct discharge to an enlisted.
• Special court martial is comparable to federal misdemeanor.

• General trial can sentence the accused to death or life in prison.
• GGeneral variety could also give a bad conduct or dishonorable discharge to an officer.
• GGeneral court martial has no direct civilian equivalent.

If accused of any criminal activity, soldiers will need a military lawyer. North Carolina law firm Gorecki & O'Callahan wants to offer their aid.

Military Lawyer: North Carolina Specialists

Because most service members have not directly experienced a criminal trial, they will need special assistance if they are accused of a crime. This service will come in the form of a military lawyer. North Carolina based soldiers can depend on the Gorecki & O'Callahan law firm for any form of military court martial. We provide the expertise necessary to help defend soldiers accused of a crime violating the UCMJ. There is no need to feel alone or helpless against the government during the court martial process. We will ensure that you get the attention your case needs.