(1) The authority convening a general or special court-martial shall, and subject to regulations issued by the Governor, the authority convening a summary court-martial may, detail a military judge. A military judge or a summary court officer shall preside over open sessions of the court-martial to which he has been detailed and shall be the approving authority over all pleas.

(2) A military judge shall be a commissioned officer of the state military forces who is a member of the Judge Advocate General Corps, a member of the bar of a federal court and a member of the bar of the Supreme Court of the State of Mississippi and who is certified to be qualified for duty as a military judge by the State Judge Advocate of the state military forces. Any military judge qualified pursuant to 18 USCS 826 may be considered a military judge herein upon determination of need by the Adjutant General of the State of Mississippi.

(3) The military judge of a general court-martial shall be designated by the State Judge Advocate, or his designee, for detail by the convening authority and, unless the court-martial was convened by the Governor or the Adjutant General, neither the convening authority nor any member of his staff shall prepare or review any report concerning the effectiveness, fitness or efficiency of the military judge so detailed, which relates to his performance of duty as a military judge.

(4) No person is eligible to act as military judge in a case if he is the accuser or a witness for the prosecution or has acted as investigating officer or a counsel in the same case.

(5) The military judge of a court-martial may not consult with the members of the court except in the presence of the trial counsel and defense counsel, nor may he vote with the members of the court in a panel case.

(6) A military judge detailed to preside over a court-martial hereunder shall not be subject to any report by the convening authority or any member of his staff concerning the effectiveness, fitness or efficiency of that military judge so detailed, which relates to his performance of duty as a military judge.

(7) All trial counsel, defense counsel, military judges, legal officers, summary court officers and any other person certified by the State Judge Advocate to perform legal functions under this code, shall be used interchangeably, as needed, among all of the state military forces.