Sec. 6.

(1) The governor, on the recommendation of the adjutant general, shall appoint an officer of the state military forces as state judge advocate general. To be eligible for appointment, an officer shall be licensed to practice law in this state, and have practiced law in this state for at least 5 years, and shall be a commissioned officer of the rank of lieutenant colonel or higher in the judge advocate general's corps.

(2) The adjutant general may appoint as many state judge advocate general's assistants or legal officers as the adjutant general considers necessary. To be eligible for appointment, the person shall be licensed to practice law in this state and otherwise meet the eligibility requirements of the judge advocate general's corps.

(3) The state judge advocate general or the state judge advocate general's assistants shall make frequent inspections in the field in the supervision of the administration of military justice.

(4) Each convening authority shall communicate directly with its staff judge advocate or legal officer in matters relating to the administration of military justice. The staff judge advocate or legal officer of a command is entitled to communicate directly with the staff judge advocate or legal officer of a superior or subordinate command, or with the state judge advocate general.

(5) A person who has acted as member, military judge, trial counsel, assistant trial counsel, defense counsel, assistant defense counsel, or investigating officer in a court-martial case shall not act later as staff judge advocate or legal officer to a reviewing authority or to the military appeals tribunal or be a member of a reviewing authority or a member of the military appeals tribunal on the same case.

History: 1980, Act 523, Eff. Mar. 31, 1981