Military Law Course

Lesson 1 • Nature and Scope of Military Law

Defines military law and its distinct purpose within the armed forces. Grounds students in why a separate legal system exists for service members.

Lesson 2 • Jurisdiction in Military Law

Explains personal, subject-matter, and territorial jurisdiction unique to military settings. Students apply jurisdictional rules to basic factual scenarios.

Lesson 3 • Key Actors in Military Justice

Introduces the roles of commanders, judge advocates, and military judges. Students understand how each actor shapes legal outcomes within the system.

Lesson 1 • Punishments and Sentencing Principles

Outlines the range of authorised punishments and the principles guiding their imposition. Students connect offence severity to proportionate sentencing outcomes.

Lesson 2 • Defences and Justifications

Analyses affirmative defences available to accused service members. Students evaluate how superior orders, duress, and mistake of fact apply.

Lesson 3 • Categories of Military Offences

Classifies offences as purely military, civilian-equivalent, or hybrid. Students map offence categories to their legal sources and potential consequences.

Lesson 4 • Offences Against Persons and Property

Covers assault, larceny, and destruction of property as applied in military settings. Students compare military and civilian elements of these offences.

Lesson 1 • Procedural Rights of the Accused

Details the rights a service member holds before and during non-judicial punishment. Students apply procedural safeguards to realistic disciplinary scenarios.

Lesson 2 • Appeals and Record-Keeping

Explains the appeal process and the evidentiary weight of non-judicial punishment records. Students evaluate grounds for successful appeals and record-use restrictions.

Lesson 3 • Authorised Punishments and Limitations

Identifies punishments available at each command level and their statutory caps. Students calculate lawful punishment combinations for given scenarios.

Lesson 1 • Findings and Sentencing

Analyses how findings of guilty or not guilty are reached and how sentences are determined. Students evaluate the panel's deliberation process and judge-alone trials.

Lesson 2 • Types of Courts-Martial

Distinguishes summary, special, and general courts-martial by jurisdiction and composition. Students match offence severity to the appropriate forum.

Lesson 3 • Pre-Trial Procedures

Covers the investigation, preferral of charges, and Article 32 hearing process. Students trace the procedural steps that precede formal trial.

Lesson 4 • Post-Trial Actions

Covers convening authority review, clemency, and initial appellate steps. Students assess the legal standards applied during post-trial review.

Lesson 1 • Appellate Procedures and Briefs

Details the filing requirements, timelines, and brief-writing standards for military appeals. Students draft issue statements and argument outlines.

Lesson 2 • Remedies and Sentence Reassessment

Analyses the range of relief available on appeal, including sentence reassessment and retrial. Students apply reassessment principles to modified conviction scenarios.

Lesson 3 • Grounds for Appeal

Identifies legal and factual bases on which convictions may be challenged. Students distinguish plain error from preserved error and their procedural consequences.

Lesson 1 • Enforcement and War Crimes

Analyses mechanisms for enforcing the law of armed conflict and defining war crimes. Students identify grave breaches and command responsibility doctrine.

Lesson 2 • Sources and Principles of the Law of Armed Conflict

Identifies treaty law, customary international law, and foundational principles. Students trace how each source creates binding obligations for military forces.

Lesson 3 • Protection of Persons in Conflict

Covers protected categories including prisoners of war, civilians, and the wounded. Students identify the legal protections owed to each category.

Lesson 4 • Classification of Armed Conflicts

Distinguishes international from non-international armed conflicts and their legal regimes. Students classify hypothetical scenarios and identify applicable rules.

Lesson 1 • Boards for Correction of Records

Examines the process for correcting military records through administrative boards. Students evaluate the evidentiary standards and relief available.

Lesson 2 • Administrative Separations

Explains the grounds, procedures, and characterisations of administrative discharge. Students distinguish administrative from punitive separations and their consequences.

Lesson 3 • Officer Elimination Proceedings

Details the process for eliminating commissioned officers for substandard performance or misconduct. Students apply procedural standards to officer elimination scenarios.

Lesson 1 • Ethics and Professional Responsibility

Applies professional responsibility rules to judge advocates in operational settings. Students resolve ethical dilemmas involving confidentiality, conflicts, and candour.

Lesson 2 • Rules of Engagement and Legal Review

Examines the development, interpretation, and legal review of rules of engagement. Students advise commanders on lawful use of force within operational constraints.

Lesson 3 • Claims and Status of Forces Agreements

Covers the processing of claims arising from military operations and the statutory framework for forces stationed abroad. Students apply claims procedures to operational scenarios.

Lesson 4 • Fiscal Law and Contracting Oversight

Covers the legal principles governing the obligation and expenditure of appropriated funds. Students identify common fiscal law violations and advise on compliance.