Court-martial defense
A charge is a claim, not a finding
A court-martial is a trial under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. We defend service members at each stage, from the first request for an interview to review after the verdict.
Civilian counsel doesn’t replace the military defense lawyer assigned to you. We work beside them, and some clients ask us to lead. Either way, you decide who speaks for you, and what you tell us is confidential once you’ve engaged us.
Where we step in
Interviews with investigators
Preferral and referral of charges
Article 32 preliminary hearings
Restrictions and pretrial confinement
Trial by members or by judge alone
Sentencing, clemency and appellate review
Stage by stage
A case moves in order. Here is what each stage asks of you and of us.
- 01
Before charges
An agent asks to talk, or a command opens an inquiry. This is when the right words, or no words, matter most.
- 02
Preferral and the Article 32 hearing
We read the charges, the witness list and the evidence, and use the hearing to test what the government has.
- 03
Trial
Members or a military judge alone. We prepare you, your witnesses and the motions, and explain each decision before you make it.
- 04
Sentencing
If there is a finding of guilt, we show who you are and what a sentence would cost you and your family.
- 05
After the verdict
Post-trial submissions and appeals run on short deadlines, and we track every one.
Before you speak to anyone
If you’ve been told you are under investigation, you have the right to stay silent and to ask for a lawyer. Using that right is not an admission of anything.
- Don’t sign or initial a statement you haven’t read twice.
- Don’t talk about the matter with the people involved, in person or online.
- Write down dates, names and what was said while you remember it.
- Call us, or your assigned defense counsel, before the next interview.
None of this is advice about your case. It is only the reason the first call matters.
Questions about courts-martial
Can I hire you if I already have a military defense lawyer?
Yes. Civilian counsel can work beside your assigned military lawyer or take the lead. With your permission we coordinate with them from the first day.
Who pays for a civilian lawyer?
You do. Your military defense counsel costs you nothing, and civilian counsel is paid by the client. We put our fee in a written agreement before any work begins.
Will my commander know I called?
We don’t tell your command anything without your permission. Once you engage us, what you say to us is confidential, and we’ll go over how to keep calls and messages private.
Where do you appear?
At installations across the Mountain West, and farther when a case calls for it. We travel to the people we represent.