How Do You Prepare For A Court Martial?
A court martial is a serious procedure which compels a soldier to face criminal charges for actions he committed while serving the country. There are three different levels of court martial and all of them require adequate preparation. Find out whether you’re facing summary, special or general court martial. Summary is less severe, since you won’t be speaking to a judge and cannot be dishonorably discharged as a punishment. Summary hearings also have other restrictions on the punishments they can impose on you. Get a lawyer to help you prepare your case and work with you in court. You do not need to have a military lawyer, but it is essential that your attorney have experience representing soldiers in court martial proceedings. Decide whether you want to have your case voted on by a select panel of soldiers or if you want to leave the decision to the judge. Note that only special and general court martial offer this choice. Summary judgments will be decided by the active duty officer.
