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What is the bottom line for a military defense counsel or accused who want to sever court-martial charges? Southworth is the leading military case on the subject. Factual Synopsis Appellant faced a single, joint general court‑martial for two sexual‑assault episodes committed on successive evenings, 5–6 August 1995. The first involved AL, an adult Navy sailor,…

In Weisbeck, the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces addressed the question of a delay in trial after the accused hired a civilian counsel. This is a case your military defense counsel should be aware of. The case does not hold that a delay is automatic, but it does outline how an accused may…

Here is a summary of an interesting article about how the Army FAP denies a servicemember of due process, and recommending changes. We at Cave & Freeburg, have represented many servicemembers caught up in the FAP. Executive Summary The article critiques the U.S. Army’s Family Advocacy Program Incident Determination Committee (IDC), arguing that the IDC’s…

You are on trial for an offense and the prosecution wants to introduce evidence against you under Military Rule of Evidence 404(b). How does that work and what can your military defense lawyer do to exclude such evidence. The first step is to object to the evidence before trial by filing a motion in-limine. Your…

I. Introduction Stalking is a serious offense under military law, reflecting the military’s commitment to protecting service members from harassment, intimidation, and threats. It is criminalized under Article 130 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), which was introduced as part of the 2013 amendments under the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal…

In United States v. Gree The appellant contends that the military judge erred in admitting evidence of uncharged acts occurring seventeen months after the charged offenses to establish a common plan or scheme. He argues that this evidence was improperly admitted under Military Rule of Evidence (M.R.E.) 404(b) and that the judge did not conduct…

The “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) policy, enacted in 1993 under President Bill Clinton, represented a compromise allowing gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals to serve in the U.S. military provided they did not disclose their sexual orientation. This policy prohibited military personnel from discriminating against or harassing closeted service members but mandated discharge for those…

If you are accused of domestic violence, assault, or a sexual offense, then your commander will issue a Military Protective Order (MPO) prohibiting you from contacting the alleged victim. As military defense counsel, we at Cave & Freeburg, LLP, have experience with MPOs and problems with them. Also, being given an MPO may be the…

A court-martial sentenced servicemember has the right to a speedy appeal. The right is based on the Constitution and on various interpretations of military appellate courts like the Army Court of Criminal Appeals. The first and most command barrier to you or your loved one getting a speedy appeal is the failure of the local…

As military defense lawyers, we at Cave & Freeburg, LLP, along with Brenner Fissell, are representing transgender-plus servicemembers navigating the Trump executive orders. A History of Transgender and Gender Dysphoria Persons in the U.S. Military The history of transgender individuals and those experiencing gender dysphoria in the U.S. military has varied in periods of exclusion,…