(a) General rule.--No authority convening a general, special or summary court-martial nor any other commanding officer or officer serving on the staff thereof shall censure, reprimand or admonish the court or any member, military judge or counsel thereof, with respect to the findings or sentence adjudged by the court or with respect to any other exercise of its or his functions in the conduct of the proceedings. No person subject to this part may attempt to coerce or, by any unauthorized means, influence the action of a court-martial or court of inquiry or any member thereof in reaching the findings or sentence in any case, or the action of any convening, approving or reviewing authority with respect to his judicial acts.
(b) Exceptions.--Subsection (a) shall not apply with respect to any of the following:
(1) General instructional or informational courses in military justice, if such courses are designed solely for the purpose of instructing members of a command in the substantive and procedural aspects of courts-martial.
(2) Statements and instructions given in open court by the military judge, summary court-martial officer or counsel.
(c) Performance reports on members and counsel.--In the preparation of an effectiveness, fitness or efficiency report or any other report or document used in whole or in part for the purpose of determining whether a member of the State military forces is qualified to be advanced in grade, in determining the assignment or transfer of a member of the State military forces or in determining whether a member of the State military forces should be retained on active status, no person subject to this part may, in preparing any such report:
(1) consider or evaluate the performance of duty of any such member as a member of a court-martial or witness therein; or
(2) give a less favorable rating or evaluation of any counsel because of the zeal with which counsel represented the accused before a court-martial.
Structure Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Section 5701 - Governor and department may prescribe rules
Section 5702 - Unlawfully influencing action of court
Section 5703 - Duties of trial counsel and defense counsel
Section 5707 - Oaths or affirmations
Section 5708 - Statute of limitations
Section 5709 - Former jeopardy
Section 5710 - Pleas of the accused
Section 5711 - Opportunity to obtain witnesses and other evidence
Section 5712 - Refusal to appear or testify
Section 5715 - Admissibility of records of courts of inquiry
Section 5716 - Voting and rulings
Section 5717 - Number of votes required
Section 5718 - Court to announce action
Section 5719 - Record of trial
Section 5720 - Defense of lack of mental responsibility
Section 5721 - Effect of finding of lack of mental capacity on trial proceedings
Section 5722 - Trial finding of lack of mental responsibility