United States Marine Corps Judge Advocate Division

The United States Marine Corps' Judge Advocate Division serves both to advise the Commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC) and other officials in Headquarters, Marine Corps on legal matters, and to oversee the Marine Corps legal community. The head of the Judge Advocate Division (JAD) is the Staff Judge Advocate to the Commandant (SJA to CMC).

Judge Advocates (JAs) in the Marine Corps work under the supervision of the SJA to the CMC to advise Marine commanders regarding legal issues including the laws of war, and handling of criminal cases under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). Marine Corps lawyers are line officers, unlike their counterparts in the United States Navy and Army, which means they can fill any officer billet in the Fleet Marine Force.

Organization

The SJA to CMC has three deputies. One serves as Deputy SJA and Deputy Director of JAD for HQMC Legal Support. Another serves as Deputy Director of JAD for Military Justice and Community Development. The third serves as Deputy Director of JAD for Reserve Legal Support. JAD is divided into seven branches that fall under two of the three deputies:

  • Deputy SJA and Deputy Director, JAD, HQMC Legal Support
    • JAA - Administrative Support: manages the internal administrative requirements of JAD
    • JCA - Civil and Administrative Law: legal review and guidance on civil and most administrative law matters, including professional responsibility
    • JPL - Military Personnel Law: full range of military personnel law matters
    • JAO - International and Operational Law: full range of international and operational law matters
  • Deputy Director, JAD, Military Justice and Community Development
    • JMJ - Military Law: advice on military justice policy and legislation, and advising and assisting trial counsel in the field
    • JCD - Community Development, Strategy, and Plans: long-term strategic planning, writing and managing legal community doctrine, strategic communications, coordination of judge advocate manpower requirements and assignments, and overall coordination of IT support for legal community
    • JLA - Legal Assistance: administers Marine Corps legal assistance program under 10 U.S.C. § 1044
  • Deputy Director, JAD, Reserve Legal Support - oversees the provision of Reserve legal support to the Marine Corps and heads the JAD Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) Detachment

The SJA to CMC also exercises functional supervision over two independent legal organizations within the Marine Corps:

  • DSO - Defense Services Organization: headed by the Chief Defense Counsel of the Marine Corps, the DSO provides defense counsel services to Marines worldwide
  • VLCO - Victims' Legal Counsel Organization: headed by the Officer in Charge, the VLCO provides certain legal services to eligible victims of crime

Staff Judge Advocates to the Commandant

The list of SJAs to the CMC includes:

  • Colonel Charles B. Sevier; 1966-1968
  • Colonel Marion G. Truesdale; 1968–1969
  • Brigadier General Duane L. Faw; 1969–1971
  • Brigadier General Clyde R. Mann; 1971–1973
  • Brigadier General John R. De Barr; 1973–1976
  • Brigadier General Robert J. Chadwick; 1976–1978
  • Brigadier General James P. King; 1978–1980
  • Brigadier General William H. J. Tiernan; 1980–1983
  • Brigadier General Walter J. Donovan; 1983–1985
  • Brigadier General David M. Brahms; 1985–1988
  • Brigadier General Michael E. Rich; 1988–1990
  • Brigadier General Gerald L. Miller; 1990–1993
  • Brigadier General Michael C. Wholley; 1993–1996
  • Brigadier General Theodore G. Hess; 1996–1999
  • Brigadier General Joseph Composto; 1999–2001
  • Brigadier General Kevin M. Sandkuhler; 2001–2006
  • Brigadier General James C. Walker; 2006–2009
  • Major General Vaughn Ary;[1] 2009-2014
  • Major General John R. Ewers;[2] 2014-2018
    • Major General Daniel J. Lecce; 2018-present[3]

    Marine Corps Judge Advocates

    Marine Corps Judge Advocates, or JAs, are licensed attorneys who are also commissioned officers in the Marine Corps. Each JA goes through the same initial training as any other Marine officer.

    A Marine officer with a law degree attends Naval Justice School where he or she is instructed in the fundamental principles of military justice, civil and administrative law, and legal assistance, with practical application of those principles, in order to assist in the attainment of good order and discipline and a high standard of legal practice and administration. Upon graduation from the school, the Marine is designated as a Judge Advocate (MOS 4402) and will begin his tour in the Fleet Marine Force as an attorney.

    Unlike their Navy counterparts who are staff corps officers, Marine JAs are line officers and often serve in non-legal assignments, including command of battalions across the Marine Corps.

    See also

    References

     This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.

    1. ↑ Biography for Vaughn Ary on USMC website
    2. ↑ 2014-"Staff Judge Advocate to the Commandant". http://www.hqmc.marines.mil/sja/Leaders/tabid/9643/Article/167127/major-general-john-r-ewers.aspx. External link in |website= (help); Missing or empty |url= (help)
    3. ↑ https://www.hqmc.marines.mil/sja/Leaders/Article/553761/major-general-john-r-ewers/
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