Mission Statement – It’s in Our Results
The civilian defense of uniformed members is a special endeavor. In fact, like you, we know what you have been through, as we served too. It takes commitment to be successful. Lawyers at Court & Carpenter are exclusively dedicated to this unique field of law. We do not focus our attention elsewhere. Our solitary focus on military justice enables us to harness our collective knowledge for the benefit of our uniformed clientele, and their families, and with that, increase the likelihood for the best possible outcome.
As such, Court & Carpenter has three fundamental rules that you should understand as you face this immensely stressful time:
Rule 1:
You raised your hand to uphold the constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and that same constitution also has a duty to protect you and your family
Rule 2:
Beginning in December 2023, a certain category of courts-martial, to include sexual assaults, will no longer be sent (“referred”) to trial by a commanding general or admiral, instead a specially selected group of JAG prosecutors will decide if a case goes to trial, which will arguably provide a more meaningful pre-trial opportunity to reason with the government, as, candidly speaking, many general court-martial convening authorities were perhaps just too politically enmeshed in #MeToo to have appeared fair and impartial.
Rule 3:
We ONLY like to win, but oftentimes, that depends on you. As we all know, sometimes words have two meanings, so to debate federal law enforcement investigators about their biased version of events is rarely if ever going to help your cause. They were not at the alleged scene of the crime. Thus, they are undoubtedly clueless about happened. In this vein, just clearly invoke your right to counsel, and they will have to let you go home. It is that simple. Also, unless they have a warrant, OSI, CID and NCIS has no right to seize or search your phone, or home, or car either.
These are good rules of thumb. This is not to say we win each and every case with these rules, but what can be said is that we have an unmatched record of success using them since 2008. The proof is in the pudding, Court & Carpenter Ranks #1 in Client Satisfaction on avvo.com for “military law.” It is not close.
In summary, it is our mission, here at Court & Carpenter PC to advise service members about the best tactics to take when addressing command investigations, GOMORs, reprimands, boards, and courts. As you are invaluably serving, so we will serve you!
Military Case Focus
Courts-Martial Defense
Courts-martials are exceptionally intimidating processes for uniformed members and their families. In recognizing these challenges, the lawyers at Court & Carpenter ensure that Client’s reassuringly understand the complicated nuances of this process based upon our many decades of military justice experience.
Court-Martial Appeals
Not every court-martial sentence guarantees an automatic appeal. However, in cases that an appeal is warranted Court & Carpenter’s lawyers are uniquely equipped to research, draft and argue cases before the various service appellate courts to rectify miscarriages of justice.
Involuntary Separation Boards
Each service branch may attempt to involuntarily separate uniformed members from their hard earned military careers. Separation boards are controlled by administrative law procedures that provide service members several inalienable rights. Indeed the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled “men and women in the Armed Forces do not leave constitutional safeguards and judicial protections behind when they enter military service.” Weiss v. United States, 114 S. Ct. 752, 769 (1994) Simply put, constitutional due process principles require fairly constituted boards to convene, and impartially judge the merits of any initiated discharge. Accordingly these three-member boards are akin to “mini-trials” in which the Government’s evidence is, in part, zealously examined, and its witnesses can be cross-examined.
Rebuttals to Military Reprimands
In this particular era of our nation’s history, any negative paperwork in one’s service record can have a particularly deleterious impact on any chance of promotion, and may even, in some instances, result in involuntary separation. Knowing how to persuasively assess, organize and write an effective rebuttal is a valued expertise that Court & Carpenter’s lawyers, who have been doing it for decades, excel at every day.
Assisting with Command Investigations
Sometimes members “trust the system” to do the right thing, and therefore willingly participate in investigations that can often compromise their military careers. Of course, there can be innumerable risks in addressing any investigation, no matter its subject. The lawyers at Court & Carpenter have ample experience in assisting Clients maneuver through these legal minefields.
Contact Court & Carpenter
The Military Law Firm With Your Best Interest
Contact us today for a free consultation. Our team of military law experienced attorneys will defend you no matter your rank (officers and enlisted members of all ranks, rates and grades).