Fort Meade Military Defense Lawyer

If you are a military member stationed at Fort Meade who has been accused of violating the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), you could face profound consequences. This could include military disciplinary actions, administrative discharge, or, if sufficiently serious, a court-martial trial. If you face a military court-martial and you are found guilty, you could have a federal criminal conviction, and you could be sentenced to confinement in prison, a punitive discharge, loss of rank, and face other collateral consequences such as loss of retirement, benefits, reimbursement or recoupment for unserved commitments, and sex offender registration if you face that type of case.

Attorney Richard V. Stevens has handled military cases, on and off active duty, since 1995. Those military cases have included allegations of national security breaches, war crimes, rape, sexual assault, fraternization, other sex-related offenses, murder, manslaughter, computer crimes and pornography, fraud and larceny, drug offenses, desertion cases, and more.

The military has a distinct set of laws governing infractions, trials, and punishments. Depending on the offense, you might have the same or fewer rights. Therefore, it is critical to contact a Fort Meade defense lawyer at the Law Offices of Richard Stevens at 888-399-0693.

What a Fort Meade Military Defense Lawyer Can Help You With

The civilian defense lawyers who serve as Fort Meade military defense lawyers for the Law Offices of Richard V. Stevens have all previously served as Judge Advocates (JAGs) in the military. They 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.

Our team of experts will review your case and help you through every step of these proceedings. We understand the pressure and confusion you are experiencing and will make things easier. Our military defense attorney for Fort Meade knows the process and gets results.

We have worked with enlisted personnel to some of the highest-ranking officers charged with different crimes. Our team has an excellent track record of producing favorable results for our clients. We can do the same for you. Contact the Law Offices of Richard Stevens today at 888-399-0693 and get your free consultation.

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. When hired, we then 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, and 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. The military justice system is governed by its own laws, regulations, and procedural rules. Those laws and rules are constantly changing. The military also has a unique culture and, in many ways, is quite different from civilian society. These legal and cultural differences factor heavily 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.

What Happens During a Court Martial?

A court-martial is the military’s way of trying you for breaking their laws under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). These laws govern the investigation, proceedings, and punishment of your case.

The military does not treat offenses the same as the civilian world. The labels of misdemeanors and felonies do not exist. This means that depending on what you are charged with, the case will go to one of several proceedings including

  • General court-martial: This is a federal trial, and if convicted, it is considered to be a federal crime. It is the highest level of a court-martial and is like a felony proceeding. You are subject to an Article 32 investigation which is like a grand jury proceeding. You can have a single or a series of military judges overseeing the trial.
  • Special court-martial: This is a mid-level trial. You have a trial counselor (prosecutor), a military judge, and three officers sitting as court members. A special court-martial is like a misdemeanor trial. A conviction is a federal crime and stays with you.
  • Summary court-martial: A summary court-martial is an administrative hearing. If convicted, you are not guilty of committing a federal crime. But, the accused does not have the same rights as the other types of court-martials.

These proceedings are different compared to the civilian criminal justice system. You need a Fort Meade military defense lawyer to guide you.

Contact the Law Offices of Richard Stevens today at 888-399-0693 and get your free consultation. We will help you to navigate through the military court system and military-specific legal issues.

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 “Nonjudicial 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.

Contact a Fort Meade Military Defense Lawyer Today

If you are stationed at Fort Meade and face a military investigation, military disciplinary action, administrative discharge (separation), adverse administrative hearing, or court-martial because of allegations against you in the military justice system, you need an experienced defense attorney on your side. These military adverse actions could have significant negative impacts on your career and life. Your decision about who will represent you is extremely important.

Contact a civilian defense attorney serving as a military defense lawyer at the Law Offices of Richard V. Stevens today by calling (888) 399-0693, emailing us at , or contacting us through our website to set up an initial consultation.

Attorney Richard Stevens

Mr. Stevens has been handling military cases since 1995. He has defended military cases dealing with the most serious military offenses, including allegations of “war crimes,” national security cases, murder, manslaughter, homicide, rape, sexual assault, other sex related offenses, drug offenses, computer crimes (pornography), larceny, fraud, AWOL/desertion, conduct unbecoming, military academy offenses, offenses within combat zones, senior officer cases and other military specific offenses around the world. [ Attorney Bio ]

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    “Your client has no idea how lucky he was to have hired you.”

    - Former Senior Military JAG Attorney

    “He simply commanded the courtroom, prepared to the teeth, and, most importantly, retained his personal and professional manner that proved so impressive in his advocacy success.”

    - Former Senior Military Judge

    “His advocacy, compassion, intellect, and demeanor are unsurpassed.”

    - Former Military Staff Judge Advocate and Trial Judge

    “That was the best closing argument I have ever seen; by a civilian or military attorney.”

    - Senior Court Reporter

    From Our Blogimage of star

    Military Noncommissioned Officer Has Sexual Assault Case Dropped (UCMJ Article 120)

    Recently, a military noncommissioned officer defended by attorney Richard V. Stevens (Military Defense Law Offices of Richard V. Stevens, P.C.) had the alleged sexual assault case he faced dropped by the military before court-martial charges were preferred against him (UCMJ A [...]