Military Law Blog
What Are Larceny and Wrongful Appropriation in the Military? – Article 121
If you are facing Article 121 charges, the government is accusing you of theft under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (U.S.C). Specifically, Article 121 of the UCMJ covers two closely related offenses: larceny and wrongful appropriation. Both allegations involve…
When Does Indecent Language Become a Court-Martial Offense? – Article 134
If you are being investigated for indecent language under UCMJ Article 134, the government is not claiming that you were merely rude, unprofessional, or offensive. It is alleged that the words you used were criminal under the Uniform Code of…
What Is Indecent Conduct Under the General Article? – Article 134
If you’re a service member facing Article 134 charges, you are being accused of violating the General Article of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. This provision—Article 134 of the UCMJ—allows prosecutors to charge misconduct that harms the reputation, discipline,…
UCMJ Article 128: What Counts as Assault Under Military Law?
If you’re facing allegations under UCMJ Article 128, you are being accused of committing an offense of assault under the Uniform Code of military justice. These allegations can range from simple assault involving offensive touching to aggravated assault involving a dangerous…
Sentencing Severity in Court-Martial Appeals: What Service Members Need to Know
If you are one of the many service members convicted at a court-martial, the sentence may have consequences that extend far beyond the courtroom. Confinement, forfeitures, and especially a punitive discharge can permanently alter your military career, your civilian employment…
Multiplicity in Court-Martial Appeals: What It Means and How to Challenge It
Multiplicity is one of the most powerful—and most misunderstood—issues in court-martial appeals. For service members across the armed forces, it can mean the difference between a lawful conviction and one that violates due process, the double jeopardy clause, and the…
Insufficiency of Evidence in a Court-Martial Appeal: What Service Members Need to Know
If you are a service member on active duty—whether in the Air Force, Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Space Force, or Marine Corps—and you’ve been convicted at a court-martial, few issues in the military justice system are more consequential than sufficiency…
Petitions for New Trial After Court-Martial: What Service Members Need to Know
If you are one of the many service members convicted at a court-martial, the sentence may have consequences that extend far beyond the courtroom. Confinement, forfeitures, and especially a punitive discharge can permanently alter your military career, your civilian employment…
What Is Clemency in a Court-Martial?
Clemency in a court-martial is the military justice system’s final internal mechanism for mercy. It allows a convicted service member to ask that a lawful sentence be reduced, suspended, or otherwise modified after trial—not because the conviction was legally wrong,…
What Happens During an Arraignment in a Court-Martial?
For many service members, arraignment is the first time a court-martial feels real. Investigations by law enforcement may have been ongoing for months. Charges may already have been referred. But arraignment is the moment the military justice system formally asserts…