Aberdeen Proving Ground Military Defense Lawyer

To the men and women of the United States Armed Forces, the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) is no joke. If you are accused of violating the UCMJ, you could face several significant consequences. These might include military disciplinary action, administrative discharge, or, if sufficiently serious, a court-martial trial. If found guilty, you could receive a prison sentence, a punitive discharge, loss of rank, and face other collateral consequences such as loss of retirement and benefits, reimbursement, or recoupment for unserved commitments, or even a sex-offender registration that will follow you for the rest of your life.

If you are a member of the military stationed at Aberdeen Proving Ground and are facing possible military discipline or a court-martial trial, you need an attorney with experience and knowledge representing military clients in these types of cases. Military justice cases are different in many respects from criminal and civil cases in the civilian justice system. These cases often involve expert consultants and witnesses, media strategies, and knowledge of the intricacies of the UCMJ and military legal procedures.

If you are a servicemember stationed at Aberdeen Proving Ground and are facing potential discipline or a court-martial, Richard Stevens is the Aberdeen Proving Ground military defense lawyer that you need. For a free consultation of your case, contact the Law Offices of Richard V. Stevens:

What an Aberdeen Proving Ground Military Defense Lawyer Can Help You With

The civilian defense lawyers who serve as Aberdeen Proving Ground military defense lawyers for the Law Offices of Richard V. Stevens have all previously served as Judge Advocates (JAGs) in the military and are dedicated to representing current and former servicemembers who might need military defense counsel. Some of the types of military adverse actions we handle include, but are not limited to:

• Alleged violations of the punitive Articles of the UCMJ
• Administrative discharges (separations)
• Courts-martial (summary court-martial, special court-martial, general court-martial)
• Article 32 hearings
• Article 15 actions (non-judicial punishment, NJP)
• Reprimands, admonitions, and counseling
• Military investigations (AR 15-6, CDI, CID, NCIS, OSI, CGIS, MEO, IG, etc.)
• Military academy discipline
• And more.

Why Hire a Civilian Defense Attorney for a Military Case?

No civilian defense attorney or military defense lawyer can guarantee you an outcome in your military case. The benefit of hiring experienced civilian defense attorneys like the attorneys at the Law Offices of Richard V. Stevens is that we have years and years of military law experience beyond that of your appointed military defense counsel.

We immediately become considerable “value-added” for your defense team. Our experience can benefit all phases of your military case, from advising you, spotting legal issues, filing rebuttals and motions, engaging in disciplinary or pre-trial negotiations, communicating with JAGs representing the command, investigators, or commanders, dealing with the media, preparing case strategy, to performing in hearings and trial (including arguments, witness questioning, utilizing experts).

When considering hiring a civilian defense lawyer for a military case, we believe it is extremely important for that civilian attorney to have extensive experience with the military justice system, particularly when facing potential disciplinary actions like Article 15 defense attorney. The military justice system is governed by its laws, regulations, and procedural rules. The military also has a unique culture and, in many ways, is quite different from civilian society. These legal and cultural differences factor into all aspects of defense strategy.

The attorneys in our law firm served in the military and only handle military cases — and we have done so for decades. As such, we have crucial military justice experience.

Different Types of Military Courts-Martial

The military has three types of court-martial: general court-martial, special court-martial, and summary court-martial.

A summary court-martial is used the least and is more like an administrative hearing with increased punishment options. If you are convicted in a summary court-martial, it is not considered a federal criminal conviction because you do not have the same rights in a summary court-martial that you have in the other two types of court-martial.

Special court-martial (SPCM) or general court-martial (GCM) in the military are federal criminal trials. If you are convicted in an SPCM or GCM, you would receive a federal criminal conviction. The military does not label convictions as “felonies” or “misdemeanors.”  However, a general court-martial conviction is like a felony conviction, and a special court-martial conviction is like a misdemeanor conviction.

Article 15 or Non-Judicial Punishment

One of the most common types of administrative military disciplinary actions is an Article 15. Depending on your service branch, an Article 15 might be called “Non-judicial Punishment,” “N.J.P.,” “Office Hours,” or “Captain’s Mast.”

An Article 15 hearing is an administrative hearing under UCMJ Article 15. It is not a criminal trial. It cannot result in a federal conviction. Article 15 punishments do not include prison time. Despite this, Article 15s are serious military disciplinary actions.

Being found guilty under Article 15 could cause you to lose rank, lose promotions, be removed from your duty position, get less desirable future assignments, receive a negative performance report, receive a reduced military retirement grade, and/or even lead to an administrative discharge (separation) from the military. In such circumstances, consulting with a skilled military discharge lawyer is crucial to understanding your options and navigating the legal complexities associated with potential separation.

Contact an Aberdeen Proving Ground Military Defense Lawyer Today

Soldiers stationed at Aberdeen Proving Ground deserve a professional and experienced legal defense when facing a potential trial or another form of discipline. If this applies to you, you need a defense attorney with the expertise to navigate the complex world of military law and discipline.

Do not let military discipline negatively impact your life and career by making the wrong choice of whom to represent you. Contact a civilian defense attorney serving as an Aberdeen Proving Ground military defense lawyer at the Law Offices of Richard V. Stevens today.

Contact us by calling (888) 399-0693, or through our website to set up an initial consultation.