Finding oneself embroiled in a court martial is every military member’s worst nightmare. As a defendant in a court martial, you are basically fighting against the government, which is the prosecution in this case, which in itself is enough to greatly reduce your odds of winning. This explains why it is more important than ever to choose the right military lawyer to represent you in court in such a case. The following tips guide you on how to make the right choice of a military lawyer:
- The most important consideration is that the lawyer should have extensive knowledge of court martial procedures and military laws and regulations. This is not a time where you can afford to take a risk with an amateur.
- It is important for the attorney to be familiar with the military code of conduct, since he shall have to interact with several military members, including witnesses, jurors, investigators, commanders, etc. For this, you might want to ensure that your attorney has past experience as a JAG (Judge Advocate General’s Corp) in the military.
- You must ensure that your military attorney has extensive experience in contesting court martial trials, and constantly trains and researches to keep up with the latest in military law.
- Your military lawyer shall be responsible for telling you what to say and what not to say in the courtroom, for which it is important for him to have the know-how of court martial proceedings, and the required toughness to protect you from getting intimidated by the government.
- While it is usually difficult to completely forego a sentence in a court martial, your military attorney can play a great role in getting a fair sentence for you. This is possible only if he is not fearful of military investigators, and has a penchant for fighting difficult cases and taking on challenges. A careful look at his track record should be enough to let you know whether you are at the right place.
- Finally, remember to carefully look into the lawyer’s policy of publicity, since with the sensitive nature of such a case, you cannot afford to have a lawyer that tries his cases in the media. You want to ensure that your case shall be handled with utmost confidentiality and discreetness, keeping in mind the unique cultural environment of your branch of service.