Judge Advocate General's Corps, also known as JAG or JAG Corps, refers to the legal branch or specialty of a military concerned with military justice and military law. A military lawyer's job is similar to a civilian lawyer in their day-to-day duties. Representing clientele under jurisdiction of military courts and law is the primary difference.
Apr 14, 2022 · When assigned to a command, an army lawyer acts as legal counsel to the commander and staff for official decisions and actions, especially with respect to tactical operations and rules of engagement. Army lawyers are involved in all parts of a military trial, or court-martial: the prosecutor, the defense attorney, and the judge are all army lawyers. In …
Nov 19, 2016 · A JAG lawyer is an attorney that is an officer in the military branch and does the typical lawyer things for the military and military personnel.
Judge Advocate General's Corps, also known as JAG or JAG Corps, refers to the legal branch or specialty of a military concerned with military justice and military law. A military lawyer's job is similar to a civilian lawyer in their day-to-day duties. Representing clientele under jurisdiction of military courts and law is the primary difference.
Apr 02, 2022 · Military lawyers are sometimes also referred to as military attorneys. A military lawyer, in nature, is not much different from a civilian lawyer. You will represent your client at military courts and “fight” on his/her behalf. It is possible to work in any military branches (The Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard). As a military lawyer, you also have the …
Soldier | |
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Location of origin | Midwestern USA |
Occupation | Mercenary; Shock & Awe, Lawyer, Tour guide, Priest (in Guam) |
Status | Alive |
Soldier/ Jane Doe | |
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Health | 200 / 300 |
Name | Soldier/ Jane Doe |
Gender | Male |
Height | 180.3 cm (5'11") |
A military lawyer, in nature, is not much different from a civilian lawyer. You will represent your client at military courts and “fight” on his/her behalf. It is possible to work in any military branches (The Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard).
Some specific tasks that lawyers in the military carry out are arguing cases before the Court of Military Review or the Court of Military Appeals, assisting witnesses at hearings, providing professional legal advice, drafting legal documents for litigation, interpreting court laws, decisions, opinions, etc.
The average annual salary for a military lawyer is $72,225, and the top lawyers can earn up to $122,000. Aside from the base pay, you will be able to receive other financial benefits, such as housing allowances. There are free healthcare and housing services if you decide to live on base. You may even be eligible for student loan forgiveness programs and the public service loan forgiveness program. So, it is, without a doubt, a rewarding job.
The military lawyer job description includes the legal counsel and advice for everything from the trial preparation to the post-trial activities. Legal issues on operations, environmental, international law, or military and civilian personnel issues are the different areas that a military lawyer must be well-versed in.
Once you are accepted, you can start by selecting a military branch. Next, finish the enlistment procedure. This depends on the branch that you selected. Hence, you will need to meet with recruiters or contact them via online means, such as the branch’s website.
Complete your education by taking other special programs that can give you a competitive edge. For example, summer internships and graduate law programs.
The U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps, or JAG Corps, is a government law organization and one of the country’s largest law firms.
As an Army lawyer in the JAG Corps, you’ll gain experience that you wouldn’t get at a traditional law firm.
From offering legal assistance to Soldiers, to representing the United States government in civil cases, the work you do in the Army JAG Corps can change lives—and even history.
Get the chance to serve as Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, government or defense appellate counsel, or as a military judge. You’ll be responsible for prosecuting courts-martial or representing Soldiers accused of committing a crime.
You’ll be working with the Department of Justice to represent the U.S. Government in civil cases. You’ll also be responsible for negotiating settlements and arguing cases before administrative judges and federal courts.
You can keep your job at a civilian law firm and serve part-time through the Army Reserve or Army National Guard.
Step into the role of an Army attorney and work on real cases at JAG Corps offices worldwide through the Summer Law Internship Program, a competitive 60-day internship open to qualified second-year law students.
To become an officer in the JAG Corps in the Navy, this branch of the military must offer hopefuls a commission, after which time they enter Officer Development School (ODS), where they receive the rank of Ensign, and their active duty pay and benefits begin. Located in Newport, Rhode Island, ODS is specifically tailored to those entering the Navy as officers. Once completed, candidates enter Naval Justice School, to learn the UCMJ and the specific types of law they'll likely have to practice. T
The first is the student option, where candidates apply as either a 1L or 2L, and commit to completing Active Duty as a member of the JAG Corps after graduating law school and passing the bar. The second program entails licensed attorneys directly entering the JAG Corps. The third option is for Active Duty military members to go on to law school and return to Active Duty as a JAG Corps officers. The fourth option is for experienced attorneys to work part-time with the Air Force JAG Corps, while maintaining their civilian jobs. All candidates must attend the five-week Commissioned Officer Training program , to learn Air Force leadership, before their four-year Active Duty commitment begins.
There are two ways to enter the JAG Corps as a Marine. The first is the PCL-Law program --the Marine Corps equivalent to the student entry program. Students complete the ten-week Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Virginia, either during the summer before law school, or the 1L or 2L summer. Candidates then receive the rank of Second Lieutenant and are placed on Inactive Duty pending completion of law school. Upon graduation, students must take the first scheduled bar exam in any state, and must report LSAT scores of 150+. After passing the bar, students enter the Basic School--a six-month intensive basic training for the Marine Corps, then join JAG Corps members from the Navy at the Naval Justice School in Newport, Rhode Island. Students are then assigned their first duty station. The second option for entering the Marine JAG Corps is through the OCC-Law program, which is open to licensed attorneys, who must have completed law school, passed a state bar, and earned a 150+ on the LSAT.
The first is the Direct Commissioned Course (DCC) Phase--a six-week basic training for JAGs in Fort Benning, Georgia. The second is the Charlottesville Phase, which is a 10.5-week officer’s course at the Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School, at the University of Virginia. Those who complete the Judge Advocate Officer Basic Training Course then enter Active Duty for a required four years.
Alison Monahan. Updated February 06, 2019. The Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG Corps), which encompasses the career path for military lawyers, has been popularized by the television show JAG, the film A Few Good Men, and a host of other pop cultural touchstones. If you're looking to serve your country as a lawyer, consider the JAG Corps.
Final year law students and licensed attorneys may enter the Coast Guard this way. After commissioning, they must attend the 4-5 week long Direct Commission Officer course in New London, Connecticut, before attending a ten-week Basic Lawyer Class at the Naval Justice School in Newport, Rhode Island. The first assignment of a four year of active duty commitment then begins.
The JAG Corps is the legal branch of the military, concerned with military justice and military law. The chief attorney in each branch is the Judge Advocate General, and those under him or her are considered to be Judge Advocates. These individuals both defend and prosecute military personnel, using the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).
A military lawyer's job is similar to a civilian lawyer in their day-to-day duties. Representing clientele under jurisdiction of military courts and law is the primary difference. Military lawyers handle a wide variety of legal issues including international law, operations law, environmental law, as well as military and civilian personnel issues.
Officers typically enter the Military after they have completed a four-year college degree; enlisted service members can transition to officer positions through a variety of pathways and earn a degree while serving. Learn more about becoming an officer, here.
The Judge Advocate General’s Corps, or JAG Corps , is the team of military lawyers who handle military law. Instead of using civilian lawyers, the military appoints lawyers who are members of the military. This is very different from civilian law, which involves public and private attorneys. Essentially, a military lawyer is a public lawyer.
In a civilian court, a jury is made up of 12 jurors. According to the Constitution, that jury must consist of peers. Lawyers choose from a pool of potential jurors to pick the 12 who will be part of the jury.
In either military or civilian law, you can appeal a decision. However, the process differs. All military appeals go up a specifi ed chain of command. Every branch of the military has their own appeals courts that handle the situation. On the other hand, civilian appeals go through appeals courts and eventually may go to the circuit and federal courts.
The military court does not have the same code as the civilian court. They use the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). The UCMJ is a guide to the process of military law. All cases in the military follow the UCMJ. It describes the court martial process and governs the Marines, Navy, Air Force, Army, and Coast Guard.
When most people think of a trial, they think of one held in a civilian court. However, not all trials occur in civilian court. Some of them occur in military court. And just like the difference between civilian and military life are great, the difference between a civilian lawyer and a military lawyer is also great.
Not just any military service member can be a member of the JAG Corps ; they need to be legal attorneys. In addition to those credentials, they also need to undergo special training in handling military law. JAG training is a way for lawyers to learn how to defend their clients in court martials. It prepares them for some of the differences between civilian and military law.