General Court-Martial
A General Court-Martial (GCM) is the most severe forum under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. It is reserved for the most serious crimes punished in military courts. The maximum punishments that can be imposed at a GCM vary depending on the charges for which a servicemember is convicted, but in the most serious cases can include life in prison or even death. Other potential sentences from a GCM include confinement at a military prison, forfeitures of pay, reduction in rank (for enlisted members only), fines, and a punitive discharge (bad conduct discharge or dishonorable discharge).
Before bringing a servicemember to a GCM, the command must convene a hearing under Article 32, UCMJ. At this hearing, a neutral investigating officer, usually a JAG, will examine the case to make a recommendation as to whether to send the case to a GCM. Alternatively, the investigating officer may recommend that the charges be brought before a Special Court-Martial (SpCM), or that they be dismissed altogether. This recommendation is delivered to the Convening Authority, usually an O-6 or higher, who makes the final decision on case disposition.
Facing charges in a GCM is a frightening experience. Military members brought before a GCM run the risk of losing far more than their careers; their very freedom is at stake! A bad conduct or dishonorable discharge can have terrible consequences on their future educational and occupational prospects. For all of these reasons, you should not go through this process without an experienced and aggressive criminal defense attorney.
If you feel that you might be facing charges at a GCM, contact the Law Office of Shawn M. Cline without delay. If you already have a JAG defense attorney assigned to your case, you can hire a civilian defense attorney while keeping your free military lawyer on your case. Essentially, you can have two attorneys for the price of one. The stakes in a GCM are terribly high. You deserve an aggressive criminal defense attorney with vast experience handling military cases.