mccdill afb military criminal lawyers

If you or your loved one has been accused of a criminal activity while serving in the military and you are facing disciplinary actions or you are being investigated, here’s the first thing you should know – you have the right to defend yourself and obtain legal representation. You can either choose a civilian or military defense attorney. Both of these will offer their services and prepare to fight on your behalf. But it is important to note that these two systems are quite distinct.

Civilian versus Military Justice Systems

Military law is a specialized area of legal practice, and military justice is different from the military authority on the general population as a substitute for civil authority. When a military service member is facing allegations or is involved in a criminal activity, either on or off a military base, he/she can be arraigned in both civilian court and military court. And, although civilian laws may be broken during the crime commissions, the military has its own set of laws to deal with crimes.

The results of a criminal investigation and the subsequent actions or court-martial can be life changing. It can drastically affect your life, career, and family. To obtain the best possible outcome for your case, it is vital that you select a practiced and seasoned military defense attorney to represent you and protect your legal rights throughout the case. The aim is to do everything possible and to ensure that the charges are reduced to minor and have only insignificant annotations in your military record in order to save your career and reputation. Military criminal defense and administrative cases are considerably different than civilian proceedings, it is therefore much better to work with experienced military criminal defense attorney.

Services of a Military Criminal Defense Lawyer

One of the key differences between civilian and military justice systems is that the military every so often provides a free military defense attorney to the accused unlike in civil public defense. However, free military defense representation might be overloaded with high caseloads or may even be unacquainted and lack experience with specific criminal charges that are at hand. This is the point where you seek the counsel and representation of a private experienced criminal defense lawyer to handle your case.

The type of lawyer you choose to legally represent you will have a huge impact on your case and will determine its outcome. It is extremely important to look for an attorney with whom you can depend on, to successfully handle your case as well as discuss your concerns. Private military criminal defense lawyers are always equipped to professionally represent you and provide you with all the support and counsel you may need throughout the proceedings.

Choosing the best lawyer to fit your case requirements may be the most important decision you make. Hire a defense attorney that focuses their practice in the area you need. Do you serve in the military? Then opt for a military defense attorney. Such a lawyer already knows how military law works, is familiar with the workings of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and will, therefore, give you nothing but the best.

You may decide to depend on the services of a selected military defense lawyer, which can be a wrong option because such attorneys usually have a lot on their hands, often overwhelmed with huge caseloads. Or, you could employ the services of a civilian attorney, who could have more time to dedicate to your case but lack a close understanding of the military culture and of the workings of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Or better yet, opt for a private military lawyer, such a lawyer understands military law and will devote themselves to your case every step of the way.