Court of Military Appeals in the United States
A legislative court established in 1950 to review all appeals from military court-martial cases. The Court of Military Appeals consists of three civilian judges appointed by the president for 15-year terms. The court is exclusively an appeals court and reviews criminal cases coming from the military justice system. The court must review decisions involving top-level military personnel (generals or flag officers) and cases where the death penalty is invoked. It retains discretion to review on petition any other case from the military courts.
See Also
Legislative Court (Judicial Organization) Military Justice System (Judicial Organization) Specialized Court (Judicial Organization).
Analysis and Relevance
Establishment of the Court of Military Appeals was an outgrowth of serious concerns about the military justice system. In 1950, Congress enacted the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which integrated many of the rights accorded civilians into the court-martial process. Creation of an appeals court composed exclusively of civilians was an important element in the tightening of the military justice system. Decisions of the United States Court of Military Appeals may be reviewed by the Supreme Court through use of the writ of habeas corpus.
Notes and References
- Definition of Court of Military Appeals from the American Law Dictionary, 1991, California
Court of Military Appeals in the United States
Court of Military Appeals
United States Constitution
According to the Encyclopedia of the American Constitution, about its article titled 415 COURT OF MILITARY APPEALSIn the Uniform Code of Military Justice, enacted in the aftermath of world war ii, Congress established the Court of Military Appeals (COMA) . A civilian body, whose three judges serve for fifteen-year terms, COMA reviews questions of law arising in certain serious
(read more about Constitutional law entries here).
Leave a Reply