Revision history
PROPOSED AMENDMENT (Pub. L. 119–60 §§ 561(a), 562, eff. Dec. 18, 2025) — needs manual restructuring on approval. Add new subsection (a): (a)(1) A member of the armed forces may only serve as a judge advocate if such member— (A) is admitted to the practice of law before the highest court of a State, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia; (B) maintains a license status that provides current eligibility to actively practice law before such court; (C) is subject to the disciplinary review process of the jurisdiction in which such member maintains such a license status; and (D) is in compliance with any other requirements of such jurisdiction to remain eligible to practice law in such jurisdiction. (2) The Judge Advocates General of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard and the Staff Judge Advocate to the Commandant of the Marine Corps may suspend the authority of a judge advocate of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, or Marine Corps, respectively, to perform legal duties if such judge advocate becomes noncompliant with the requirements of paragraph (1). A member of the armed forces who is suspended or disbarred from the practice of law within a jurisdiction may not perform legal duties. Renumber the existing subsection (a) (assignment for duty) as (b)(1), and add new (b)(2): The assignment for duty of judge advocates pursuant to this subsection shall include qualified judge advocates in numbers sufficient to provide legal advice to all commanders responsible for planning and organizing military operations (including commanders of and within commands assigned to a combatant command or the United States element of the North American Aerospace Defense Command as established pursuant to sections 161 and 162 of this title) and all commanders authorized to convene courts-martial under sections 822 through 824 of this title (articles 22 through 24). The qualifications of judge advocates assigned to provide legal advice to commanders under this paragraph shall include— (A) the qualifications set forth in subsection (a)(1); and (B) any additional education, expertise, or experience determined to be necessary to fulfill the requirements of this paragraph by the Judge Advocate General of the armed force concerned, or in the case of the Marine Corps, by the Staff Judge Advocate to the Commandant of the Marine Corps. Then renumber the existing (b) (direct communication) as (c), existing (c) as (d), and existing (d) as (e). (deleted)
Add new subsection (a): (a)(1) A member of the armed forces may only serve as a judge advocate if such member— (A) is admitted to the practice of law before the highest court of a State, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia; (B) maintains a license status that provides current eligibility to actively practice law before such court; (C) is subject to the disciplinary review process of the jurisdiction in which such member maintains such a license status; and (D) is in compliance with any other requirements of such jurisdiction to remain eligible to practice law in such jurisdiction. (2) The Judge Advocates General of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard and the Staff Judge Advocate to the Commandant of the Marine Corps may suspend the authority of a judge advocate of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, or Marine Corps, respectively, to perform legal duties if such judge advocate becomes noncompliant with the requirements of paragraph (1). A member of the armed forces who is suspended or disbarred from the practice of law within a jurisdiction may not perform legal duties.
Renumber the existing subsection (a) (assignment for duty) as (b)(1), and add new (b)(2): The assignment for duty of judge advocates pursuant to this subsection shall include qualified judge advocates in numbers sufficient to provide legal advice to all commanders responsible for planning and organizing military operations (including commanders of and within commands assigned to a combatant command or the United States element of the North American Aerospace Defense Command as established pursuant to sections 161 and 162 of this title) and all commanders authorized to convene courts-martial under sections 822 through 824 of this title (articles 22 through 24). The qualifications of judge advocates assigned to provide legal advice to commanders under this paragraph shall include— (A) the qualifications set forth in subsection (a)(1); and (B) any additional education, expertise, or experience determined to be necessary to fulfill the requirements of this paragraph by the Judge Advocate General of the armed force concerned, or in the case of the Marine Corps, by the Staff Judge Advocate to the Commandant of the Marine Corps.
Then renumber the existing (b) (direct communication) as (c), existing (c) as (d), and existing (d) as (e).
Add new subsection (a): (a)(1) A member of the armed forces may only serve as a judge advocate if such member— (A) is admitted to the practice of law before the highest court of a State, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia; (B) maintains a license status that provides current eligibility to actively practice law before such court; (C) is subject to the disciplinary review process of the jurisdiction in which such member maintains such a license status; and (D) is in compliance with any other requirements of such jurisdiction to remain eligible to practice law in such jurisdiction. (2) The Judge Advocates General of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard and the Staff Judge Advocate to the Commandant of the Marine Corps may suspend the authority of a judge advocate of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, or Marine Corps, respectively, to perform legal duties if such judge advocate becomes noncompliant with the requirements of paragraph (1). A member of the armed forces who is suspended or disbarred from the practice of law within a jurisdiction may not perform legal duties.
Renumber the existing subsection (a) (assignment for duty) as (b)(1), and add new (b)(2): The assignment for duty of judge advocates pursuant to this subsection shall include qualified judge advocates in numbers sufficient to provide legal advice to all commanders responsible for planning and organizing military operations (including commanders of and within commands assigned to a combatant command or the United States element of the North American Aerospace Defense Command as established pursuant to sections 161 and 162 of this title) and all commanders authorized to convene courts-martial under sections 822 through 824 of this title (articles 22 through 24). The qualifications of judge advocates assigned to provide legal advice to commanders under this paragraph shall include— (A) the qualifications set forth in subsection (a)(1); and (B) any additional education, expertise, or experience determined to be necessary to fulfill the requirements of this paragraph by the Judge Advocate General of the armed force concerned, or in the case of the Marine Corps, by the Staff Judge Advocate to the Commandant of the Marine Corps.
Then renumber the existing (b) (direct communication) as (c), existing (c) as (d), and existing (d) as (e).