(1) The authority convening a general court-martial or the State Judge Advocate shall detail a military judge to the general court-martial. Subject to regulations issued by the Governor or the Adjutant General, the authority convening a special court-martial or the State Judge Advocate may detail a military judge to the special court-martial. A military judge shall preside over each open session of the court-martial to which the judge has been detailed.
(2) A military judge shall be a commissioned officer of the organized militia or of any of the Armed Forces of the United States, be a member of the bar of the highest court of a state or a member of the bar of a federal court and be certified to be qualified for such duty by the State Judge Advocate.
(3) The military judge of a general or special court-martial shall be designated by the State Judge Advocate, or designee, for detail by the convening authority, and, unless the court-martial was convened by the Governor or the Adjutant General, neither the convening authority nor any member of the staff of the convening authority shall prepare or review any report concerning the effectiveness, fitness, or efficiency of the military judge so detailed, which relates to performance of duty as a military judge.
(4) A person is not eligible to act as a military judge in a case if the person is the accuser or a witness for the prosecution or has acted as investigating officer or as a counsel in the same case.
(5) The military judge of a court-martial may not consult with the members of the court except in the presence of the accused, trial counsel, and defense counsel, nor may the military judge vote with members of the court. [1975 c.719 §14 (enacted in lieu of 398.134); 1985 c.682 §23; 1999 c.94 §1; 2005 c.512 §21]
Section: Previous 398.118 398.120 398.126 398.128 398.130 398.132 398.134 398.135 398.136 398.138 398.140 398.162 398.164 398.166 398.168 NextLast modified: August 7, 2008