Sec. 27-145. Judge advocates and legal officers.

(a) The Governor, on the recommendation of the Adjutant General, shall appoint an officer of the state military forces as State Judge Advocate. To be eligible for appointment, an officer must be a member of the bar of the highest court of the state and must have been a member of the bar of the state for at least five years.

(b) The Adjutant General may appoint as many assistant state judge advocates as he considers necessary. To be eligible for appointment, assistant state judge advocates must be officers of the state military forces and members of the bar of the highest court of the state.

(c) The State Judge Advocate or his assistants shall make frequent inspections in the field in supervision of the administration of military justice.

(d) Convening authorities shall at all times communicate directly with their staff judge advocates or legal officer in matters relating to the administration of military justice; and the staff judge advocate or legal officer of any command is entitled to communicate directly with the staff judge advocate or legal officer of a superior or subordinate command, or with the State Judge Advocate.

(e) No person who has acted as member, military judge, trial counsel, assistant trial counsel, defense counsel, assistant defense counsel, or investigating officer, or who has been a witness for either the prosecution or defense, in any case may later act as staff judge advocate or legal officer to any reviewing authority upon the same case.

(1967, P.A. 717, S. 5; P.A. 89-221, S. 2.)

History: P.A. 89-221 amended Subsec. (d) to require convening authorities to communicate “directly” with their staff judge advocates or legal officer and amended Subsec. (e) to replace “law officer” with “military judge”.