Article 25. Who may serve on courts-martial.
(a) A commissioned officer of the state military forces shall be eligible to serve on all courts-martial for the trial of a person subject to this code.
(b) A warrant officer of the state military forces shall be eligible to serve on general and special courts-martial for the trial of a person subject to this code, other than a commissioned officer.
(c) An enlisted member of the state military forces who is not a member of the same unit as the accused shall be eligible to serve on general and special courts-martial for the trial of an enlisted member subject to this code, but that member shall serve as a member of a court only if, before the conclusion of a session called by the military judge under subsection (a) of article 39 prior to trial or, in the absence of such a session, before the court is assembled for the trial of the accused, the accused personally has requested orally on the record or in writing that enlisted members serve on it. After such a request, the accused may not be tried by a general or special court-martial the membership of which does not include enlisted members in a number comprising at least 1/3 of the total membership of the court, unless eligible enlisted members cannot be obtained on account of physical conditions or military exigencies. If such members cannot be obtained, the court may be assembled and the trial held without them, but the convening authority shall make a detailed written statement, to be appended to the record, stating why the enlisted members could not be obtained. For purposes of this article, ''unit'' shall mean a regularly organized body of the state military forces not larger than a company, a squadron, a division of the naval militia or a body corresponding to 1 of them.
(d) No person subject to this code may be tried by a court-martial if a member of that court-martial is junior to the accused in rank or grade, unless non-junior members cannot be obtained on account of physical conditions or military exigencies.
(e) When convening a court-martial, the convening authority shall detail as members thereof such members of the state military forces as, in the convening authority's opinion, are best qualified for the duty by reason of age, education, training, experience, length of service and judicial temperament. No member of the state military forces is eligible to serve as a member of a general or special court-martial if that member is the accuser, a witness or has acted as investigating officer or as counsel in the same case.
(f) Before a court-martial is assembled for the trial of a case, the convening authority may excuse a member of the court from participating in the case. The convening authority may delegate the authority under this subsection to a judge advocate or to any other principal assistant.
Structure Massachusetts General Laws
Part I - Administration of the Government
Chapter 33a - Massachusetts Code of Military Justice
Section 2 - Persons Subject to This Code; Jurisdiction
Section 3 - Jurisdiction to Try Certain Personnel
Section 5 - Territorial Applicability of the Code
Section 9 - Imposition of Restraint
Section 10 - Restraint of Persons Charged With Offenses
Section 11 - Place of Confinement; Reports and Receiving of Prisoners
Section 12 - Confinement With Enemy Prisoners Prohibited
Section 13 - Punishment Prohibited Before Trial
Section 14 - Delivery of Offenders to Civil Authorities
Section 15 - Commanding Officer's Non-Judicial Punishment
Section 16 - Courts-Martial Classified
Section 17 - Jurisdiction of Courts-Martial in General
Section 18 - Jurisdiction of General Courts-Martial
Section 19 - Jurisdiction of Special Courts-Martial
Section 20 - Jurisdiction of Summary Courts-Martial
Section 22 - Who May Convene General Courts-Martial
Section 23 - Who May Convene Special Courts-Martial
Section 24 - Who May Convene Summary Courts-Martial
Section 25 - Who May Serve on Courts-Martial
Section 26 - Military Judge of a General or Special Court-Martial
Section 27 - Detail of Trial Counsel and Defense Counsel
Section 28 - Detail or Employment of Reporters and Interpreters
Section 29 - Absent and Additional Members
Section 30 - Charges and Specifications
Section 31 - Compulsory Self-Incrimination Prohibited
Section 33 - Forwarding of Charges
Section 34 - Advice of Judge Advocate and Reference for Trial
Section 35 - Service of Charges
Section 36 - Commander-in-Chief or the Adjutant General May Prescribe Rules
Section 37 - Unlawfully Influencing Action of Court
Section 38 - Duties of Trial Counsel and Defense Counsel
Section 42 - Oaths or Affirmations
Section 43 - Statute of Limitations
Section 45 - Pleas of the Accused
Section 46 - Opportunity to Obtain Witnesses and Other Evidence
Section 47 - Refusal to Appear or Testify
Section 50 - Admissibility of Records of Courts of Inquiry
Section 50a - Defense of Lack of Mental Responsibility
Section 51 - Voting and Rulings
Section 52 - Number of Votes Required
Section 53 - Court to Announce Action
Section 55 - Cruel and Unusual Punishments Prohibited
Section 57 - Effective Date of Sentences
Section 57a - Deferment of Sentences
Section 58 - Execution of Confinement
Section 58a - Sentences: Reduction in Enlisted Grade Upon Approval
Section 58b - Sentences: Forfeiture of Pay and Allowances During Confinement
Section 59 - Error of Law; Lesser Included Offense
Section 60 - Action by the Convening Authority
Section 61 - Withdrawal of Appeal
Section 62 - Appeal by the State
Section 64 - Review by the Senior Force Judge Advocate
Section 65 - Disposition of Records After Review by the Convening Authority
Section 67a - Review by State Appellate Authority
Section 70 - Appellate Counsel
Section 71 - Execution of Sentence; Suspension of Sentence
Section 72 - Vacation of Suspension
Section 73 - Petition for a New Trial
Section 74 - Remission and Suspension
Section 76 - Finality of Proceedings, Findings and Sentences
Section 76a - Leave Required to Be Taken Pending Review of Certain Court-Martial Convictions
Section 78 - Accessory After the Fact
Section 79 - Conviction of Lesser Included Offense
Section 83 - Fraudulent Enlistment, Appointment or Separation
Section 84 - Unlawful Enlistment, Appointment or Separation
Section 86 - Absence Without Leave
Section 88 - Contempt Toward Officials
Section 89 - Disrespect Toward Superior Commissioned Officer
Section 90 - Assaulting or Willfully Disobeying Superior Commissioned Officer
Section 91 - Insubordinate Conduct Toward Warrant Officer, Noncommissioned Officer or Petty Officer
Section 92 - Failure to Obey Order or Regulation
Section 93 - Cruelty and Maltreatment
Section 94 - Mutiny or Sedition
Section 95 - Resistance, Flight, Breach of Arrest and Escape
Section 96 - Releasing Prisoner Without Proper Authority
Section 97 - Unlawful Detention
Section 98 - Noncompliance With Procedural Rules
Section 99 - Misbehavior Before the Enemy
Section 100 - Subordinate Compelling Surrender
Section 101 - Improper Use of Countersign
Section 102 - Forcing a Safeguard
Section 103 - Captured or Abandoned Property
Section 104 - Aiding the Enemy
Section 105 - Misconduct as Prisoner
Section 107 - False Official Statements
Section 108 - Loss, Damage, Destruction or Wrongful Disposition of Military Property
Section 109 - Waste, Spoilage or Destruction of Non-Military Property
Section 110 - Improper Hazarding of Vessel
Section 113 - Misbehavior of Sentinel
Section 116 - Riot or Breach of Peace
Section 117 - Provoking Speeches or Gestures
Section 132 - Frauds Against the Government
Section 133 - Conduct Unbecoming an Officer
Section 135 - Courts of Inquiry
Section 136 - Authority to Administer Oaths and to Act as Notary
Section 137 - Articles to Be Made Available
Section 138 - Complaints of Wrongs
Section 139 - Redress of Injuries to Property
Section 140 - Delegation by the Commander-in-Chief
Section 141 - Payment of Fees, Costs, and Expenses
Section 142 - Payment of Fines and Disposition Thereof
Section 143 - Uniformity of Interpretation and Military Rules of Evidence