Federal · Title 10 — Armed Forces

10 U.S.C. § 806: Art. 6. Judge advocates and legal officers

Civil

What this law says, in plain English

This statute establishes qualifications and duties for judge advocates and legal officers in the armed forces, including bar admission requirements, suspension/disbarment procedures, assignment authority, and communication protocols for military justice administration.

Read the full statutory text
is admitted to the practice of law before the highest court of a State, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia; maintains a license status that provides current eligibility to actively practice law before such court; is subject to the disciplinary review process of the jurisdiction in which such member maintains such a license status; and is in compliance with any other requirements of such jurisdiction to remain eligible to practice law in such jurisdiction. The Judge Advocates General of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard and the Staff Judge Advocate to the Commandant of the Marine Corps may suspend the authority of a judge advocate of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, or Marine Corps, respectively, to perform legal duties if such judge advocate becomes noncompliant with the requirements of paragraph (1). A member of the armed forces who is suspended or disbarred from the practice of law within a jurisdiction may not perform legal duties. The assignment for duty of judge advocates of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard shall be made upon the recommendation of the Judge Advocate General of the armed force of which they are members. The assignment for duty of judge advocates of the Marine Corps shall be made by direction of the Commandant of the Marine Corps. The Judge Advocates General, and within the Marine Corps the Staff Judge Advocate to the Commandant of the Marine Corps, or senior members of their staffs, shall make frequent inspections in the field in supervision of the administration of military justice. the qualifications set forth in subsection (a)(1); and any additional education, expertise, or experience determined to be necessary to fulfill the requirements of this paragraph by the Judge Advocate General of the armed force concerned, or in the case of the Marine Corps, by the Staff Judge Advocate to the Commandant of the Marine Corps. Convening authorities shall at all times communicate directly with their staff judge advocates or legal officers 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 Judge Advocate General. No person who, with respect to a case, serves in a capacity specified in paragraph (2) may later serve as a staff judge advocate or legal officer to any reviewing or convening authority upon the same case. Preliminary hearing officer, court member, military judge, military magistrate, or appellate judge. Counsel who have acted in the same case or appeared in any proceeding before a military judge, military magistrate, preliminary hearing officer, or appellate court. A judge advocate who is assigned or detailed to perform the functions of a civil office in the Government of the United States under section 973(b)(2)(B) of this title may perform such duties as may be requested by the agency concerned, including representation of the United States in civil and criminal cases. The Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy, shall prescribe regulations providing that reimbursement may be a condition of assistance by judge advocates assigned or detailed under section 973(b)(2)(B) of this title . shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act [ Nov. 14, 1986 ]; and may not be construed to invalidate an action taken by a judge advocate, pursuant to an assignment or detail under section 973(b)(2)(B) of title 10 , United States Code, before the date of the enactment of this Act.”

Verify at the official source: Federal legislative text

Facing this? Know exactly what happens next.

MOFRD turns this code section into your situation: the deadlines that apply to you, the forms your county uses, and the resolution paths people in your position actually take. Free for 3 days — no card required.

This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.