We built these pages to answer the questions service members and their families ask most often. If you are under investigation or facing charges, start with whatever is most relevant to your situation. If you want to talk to an attorney, call 800-319-3134.
FAQ
Answers to the questions we hear most: what a civilian military lawyer does that a JAG cannot, how the OSTC has changed the way serious cases are prosecuted, what it costs to hire a defense attorney, what the odds of success are on appeal (and why your best chance is before you ever get there), and when to get an attorney involved. Updated to reflect the current state of military justice law.
Common Misconceptions About Military Law
Bad information gets service members convicted. Some of it circulates in the barracks, some of it lingers from an era before the OSTC existed, and some of it sounds reasonable until you test it against the law. We address the misconceptions we encounter most often, including the belief that both parties drinking is a defense to sexual assault, that a case will be dropped if the victim does not cooperate, that a positive drug test cannot be challenged, and that a conviction can always be fixed on appeal.
Interrogation Survival Kit
What to do when OSI, CID, or NCIS contacts you. This page covers your rights under Article 31(b), the tactics investigators use to get you talking, and the exact words you should say to end the conversation. Read this before you walk into any interview. If you remember nothing else: “I am not going to make a statement. I want a lawyer.”
Your Rights
You are facing military charges. Your freedom, career, and reputation are at risk. When dealing with law enforcement or command, always be respectful, but you also need to be firm. This page explains the rights that protect you, including the right to remain silent, the right to consult an attorney, and the right to refuse consent to searches.
Court-Martial Guide in Plain English
A comprehensive walkthrough of the court-martial process, written for people who are not lawyers. Covers everything from the investigation phase through trial, including how charges are preferred and referred, what happens at an Article 32 preliminary hearing, the difference between a special and general court-martial, how panels work, and what to expect at sentencing. If you are facing a court-martial and want to understand the process before making any decisions, start here.
Why You Need a Civilian Military Lawyer
What civilian defense counsel brings to a case that military defense counsel, however competent, often cannot: a smaller caseload, the freedom to choose which cases to take, experience across all branches and installations, and independence from the military chain of command.
How to Choose a Civilian Military Attorney
You get a free lawyer from the military, so have a good reason for spending your own money on one. This page explains what to look for, what questions to ask, and how to evaluate whether a civilian attorney will add something your military defense counsel cannot provide on their own.
Military Bases
We represent service members at installations across the United States and overseas. Our base pages include information specific to each installation: the units stationed there, the types of cases we see most often, how the local legal office and investigative agencies operate, and what to expect if you are facing UCMJ action at that base.