Sec. 37.

(1) An authority convening a general, special, or summary court-martial, or any other commanding officer or officer serving on the staff of the commanding officer shall not censure, reprimand, or admonish the court or a member, military judge, or counsel of the court, with respect to the findings or sentence adjudged by the court, or with respect to any other exercise of the court's functions in the conduct of the proceedings. A person subject to this code shall not attempt to coerce or, by any unauthorized means, influence the action of a court-martial, or any member of the court-martial, in reaching the findings or sentence in a case, or the action of a convening, approving, or reviewing authority with respect to judicial acts. These provisions shall not apply to the following:

(a) General instructional or informational courses in military justice, if the courses are designed solely for the purpose of instructing members of a command in the substantive and procedural aspects of courts-martial.

(b) Statements and instructions given in open court by the military judge or trial or defense counsel.

(2) 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, or in determining the assignment or transfer of a member of the state military forces or whether a member of the state military forces should be retained on duty, a person subject to this code in preparing the report or making the determination shall not do any of the following:

(a) Consider or evaluate the performance of duty of the member as a member, military judge, trial counsel, or defense counsel of a court-martial.

(b) Give a less favorable rating or evaluation of the member of the state military forces because of the zeal with which the member, as counsel, represented an accused before a court-martial.

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