Document Type

Poster

Date

4-10-2025

Keywords

Moot court, Courts martial, Trial, Justice, Military, JAG

Campus Community

College of Law

Language

English

Disciplines

Military and Veterans Studies

Description/Abstract

Trial advocacy refers to the skills required of lawyers in order to effectively represent their clients during litigation. This involves all of the methods used in presenting a case in court such as opening statements, direct examinations, cross examinations and closing arguments. Effective trial advocacy requires a combination of legal knowledge, effective communication skills, and the ability to read the dynamics of a courtroom in order to ultimately influence the outcome of the case in the favor of your client. Law students develop their trial advocacy skills through classes, competitions, or personal development. Military justice refers to the legal system that governs the members of the armed forces. It encompasses a body of laws and procedures used to maintain good order and discipline within a military unit. This system is different from civilian law in the way it is designed to address specific issues found within military life such as obedience to orders and conduct in combat as well as the use of military leaders as judges and juries. The three key components of military justice include: 1. The Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ)— the primary legal code governing the conduct of military personnel in the United States 2. Courts-Martial the highest level of criminal proceedings found within the military 3. Military Legal Personnel members of the armed forces that make up the defense counsel, the prosecutors, and the judges housing stability. The JAG Corps is a service component found within each branch of the military whose purpose is to provide legal services and guidance to members of the armed forces. Specific roles range from defense counsels who aid service members undergoing criminal proceedings to Staff Judge Advocates who may be advising multi-star commanders in everyday matters.Each branch of the U.S. military: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, have its own JAG Corps (the Space Force currently uses Air Force JAGs). The members of the JAG Corps are responsible for handling all legal matters found within military justice and advising military personal on issues pertaining to the law. Being a part of the JAG Corps is a way for practicing lawyers to leverage their law degrees, serve their nation, and provide their legal knowledge in a variety of unique roles and challenging military cases. Syracuse University has made it their mission to support Veterans and their families as well as military-connected individuals through a variety of specialized initiatives and services. University College of Law at the Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic. The clinic provides a variety of legal services to Veterans and their families such as assistance with appeals with the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs and upgrading military discharge status, allowing Veterans to receive the proper benefits they have earned. Another way that Syracuse has found it possible for law students who are interested in advocating for the military and Veteran population is by hosting the first of its kind National Military Trial Competition. Between March 21st and 23rd, law students from 8 different law schools, including Syracuse Law, competed in a mock Court-Martial, prosecuting and defending either side of a criminal law case using the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The fictional criminal law case in question involved the United States government charging PV2 Paul Ackerman with Article 122 Robbery and Article 128 Assault, both violations of the UCMJ. The students competed in front of and were graded by JAG officers representing the Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marines, and from Active, Reserve, or now Civilian components. Across the course of the three-day competition, the participants engaged in opening statements, direct and cross examinations, and closing statements. The role of the judges was to score each round of the competition and to provide constructive feedback to the participants throughout the trial process. University of Missouri Kansas City ultimately beat Texas Tech in the championship to secure the first-ever National Military Trial Competition (NMTC) win.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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