The Fight Is Far From Over
If you thought the senate would give the latest round of changes to the UCMJ some time to take hold, you thought wrong. Over the next couple of months, a battle will be waged between those who support the changes proposed by Senator Claire McCaskill (former prosecutor and District Attorney) and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (champion… Read More
Assessing the Sides of a Sexual Assault Court-Martial
For a moment, let’s assess the teams that exist whenever someone in the military is prosecuted for sexual assault: For Prosecution and Conviction Prosecutor (Trial Counsel) Special Victim Prosecutor Paralegals and other legal assistants in the military justice shop. Investigators/Special Agents/Special Victim Investigators Special (Alleged) Victim Counsel Victim Advocates For the Defense Military Defense Counsel… Read More
Court-Martial Begins for Former Sexual Assault Response Coordinator
The last few years have seen some enhanced scrutiny of military sexual assaults and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. This was one of the noteworthy cases that added fuel to the fire, causing congress to move forward this year with radical proposals for UCMJ reform. It was largely overblown and used as an example… Read More
Military Sexual Assault (Article 120)
Sexual assault in the military is a regularly-evolving set of laws. Prior to 2007, the laws remained relatively unchanged, but victim-advocacy groups and lawmakers updated Article 120 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice to reflect current perceptions of the crimes and victim rights. As a result, the laws make it tougher to fight allegations… Read More