Sec. 25.

(1) Members for all courts-martial shall be selected at random pursuant to regulations issued by the state adjutant general not inconsistent with this section.

(2) A commissioned officer on duty with the state military forces is eligible to serve on all courts-martial for the trial of a person who may lawfully be brought before the court-martial for trial.

(3) A warrant officer on duty with the state military forces is eligible to serve on general and special courts-martial for the trial of a person, other than a commissioned officer, who may lawfully be brought before the court-martial for trial.

(4) An enlisted member of the state military forces who is not a member of the same unit as the accused is eligible to serve on general and special courts-martial for the trial of any enlisted member who may lawfully be brought before the court-martial for trial, but the enlisted member shall serve as a member of a court only if, before the convening of the court, the accused personally requested in writing that enlisted members serve on the court-martial. After the request, the accused may not be tried by a general or special courts-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 the members cannot be obtained, the court may be convened and the trial held without them, but the convening authority shall make a detailed written statement, to be appended to the record, stating why enlisted members could not be obtained.

(5) Unless unavoidable, a person subject to this code shall not be tried by a court-martial which has a member junior to the person in rank or grade. When convening a court-martial, the convening authority shall detail as a member of the court-martial a person who is best qualified for the duty by reason of age, education, training, experience, length of service, and judicial temperament. A person is not eligible to serve as a member of a general or special court-martial if the person is the accuser or a witness for the prosecution or has acted as investigating officer or as counsel in the same case.

History: 1980, Act 523, Eff. Mar. 31, 1981 ;-- Am. 2005, Act 186, Imd. Eff. Oct. 27, 2005