Court-Martial

An ad hoc military court, convened under authority of government and the Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 U.S.C.A. No. 801 et seq., for trying and punishing offenses in violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice committed by persons subject to the Code, particularly members of the armed forces. Courts-martial are courts of law and courts of justice although they are not part of the federal judiciary established under Article III of the Constitution. They are legislative criminal courts established in the armed forces under the constitutional power of congress to regulate the armed forces. Their jurisdiction is entirely penal and disciplinary. They may be convened by the president, secretaries of military departments and by senior commanders specifically empowered by law. The type (e.g. summary, special, or general) and composition of courts-martial varies according to the gravity of offenses. Generally they are designed to deal with the internal affairs of the military when summary command discipline is inadequate to achieve corrective results, but they have concurrent jurisdiction with civil courts over a wide range of civil offenses.

See Courts of Military Review

- Court of Military Appeals

See also Code of Military Justice