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Military Lawyers

Military law, article by article

Answers on courts-martial, Article 31 rights, Article 15, separations and appeals. Questions that name an article of the Uniform Code of Military Justice climb its ladder in the order of the Code; the rest are shelved by how they are asked.

Military defense counsel

Military Attorney Joseph L. Jordan

Military Attorney Joseph L. Jordan is a civilian defense lawyer who has spent 20 years defending service members accused of crimes under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). The firm, founded in 2011, represents Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, and Guardians around the world. Mr. Jordan enlisted first, then served as a combat arms officer, and later served as an Army JAG prosecutor at Fort Cavazos (now Fort Hood), Texas, and with the 2nd Infantry Division in South Korea. He also deployed with the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment. What follows comes from the firm’s own statements.

Reported experience

The firm states that Mr. Jordan has represented more than 1,000 service members and taken more than 250 cases to verdict across the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Space Force. Those figures are the firm’s, and a reader can ask for the records behind them. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

Practice areas

  • Courts-martial. Summary, special, and general, along with Article 32 preliminary hearings.
  • Offenses. Article 120 sexual assault, Article 112a drug offenses, assault, absence offenses, manslaughter, and murder.
  • Nonjudicial punishment. Article 15 actions.
  • Boards. Administrative separation boards and Boards of Inquiry.

Credentials

The firm lists a J.D. from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, a B.S. in Justice Studies from Pittsburg State University, a license in Arkansas, the American Bar Association, and the Military Law Section of the Texas Bar Association.

Of counsel

Attorney Nicholas C. DauSchmidt serves as Of Counsel and is based in Vicenza, Italy. The firm describes him as a former judge advocate who has served as defense counsel, prosecutor, and special victims counsel. Justin Scheider, Of Counsel, is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Civilian and detailed counsel

Article 38 lets an accused be represented by civilian counsel at no expense to the United States, along with detailed military counsel, who’s provided at no cost. A service member weighing that choice can ask any firm who will try the case, how many courts-martial that lawyer has taken to verdict for the same charge, what happens if the case moves, and what the fee covers.

Contact

The firm offers a free, confidential consultation, described as available around the clock, at (888) 689-6301.

General information about military law, not legal advice, and it creates no attorney-client relationship. Rules change and outcomes turn on the facts, so a specific situation belongs with a military defense counsel, a legal assistance office, or a civilian attorney.

The ladder

544 questions name one of 50 articles. Each bar is as long as its share; pick a rung to open its questions.

  1. Art. 13 2 questions
  2. Art. 15 11 questions
  3. Art. 31 71 questions
  4. Art. 32 53 questions
  5. Art. 45 1 question
  6. Art. 46 1 question
  7. Art. 59 1 question
  8. Art. 66 2 questions
  9. Art. 78 22 questions
  10. Art. 80 13 questions
  11. Art. 81 8 questions
  12. Art. 82 14 questions
  13. Art. 84 16 questions
  14. Art. 85 6 questions
  15. Art. 86 23 questions
  16. Art. 87 14 questions
  17. Art. 88 20 questions
  18. Art. 89 17 questions
  19. Art. 90 20 questions
  20. Art. 91 9 questions
  21. Art. 92 14 questions
  22. Art. 93 9 questions
  23. Art. 94 5 questions
  24. Art. 95 5 questions
  25. Art. 96 1 question
  26. Art. 97 4 questions
  27. Art. 99 4 questions
  28. Art. 100 1 question
  29. Art. 101 1 question
  30. Art. 102 1 question
  31. Art. 107 3 questions
  32. Art. 108 1 question
  33. Art. 112a 4 questions
  34. Art. 115 1 question
  35. Art. 117 1 question
  36. Art. 118 2 questions
  37. Art. 119b 1 question
  38. Art. 120 125 questions
  39. Art. 120b 3 questions
  40. Art. 120c 1 question
  41. Art. 121 2 questions
  42. Art. 123a 1 question
  43. Art. 125 1 question
  44. Art. 131 2 questions
  45. Art. 131b 2 questions
  46. Art. 132 1 question
  47. Art. 133 4 questions
  48. Art. 134 15 questions
  49. Art. 136 1 question
  50. Art. 138 4 questions

Questions that name no article

Newest answers

  1. Will A Military Attorney Protect Me During Reversing An Article 15 Decision Through Appeal?
  2. WHY SERVICE MEMBERS SHOULD STAY SILENT WHEN ARRESTED: Legal Protections, Risks of Early Statements, and Command Influence
  3. Why is it critical to invoke Article 31 rights early in an investigation?
  4. Why is Article 31 more protective than civilian Miranda warnings in a military environment?
  5. Why Do I Need A Military Attorney If I’m Handling Toxic Leadership As An Enlisted Soldier?
  6. Why Do I Need A Military Attorney If I’m Demanding Access To Evidence Your CO Withholds?
  7. Who serves as the Preliminary Hearing Officer in an Article 32 hearing?
  8. Which military authorities are obligated to read Article 31 rights before initiating questioning?
  9. When must Article 31 rights be read during a joint civilian-military investigation?
  10. What’s the role of a trial counsel during an Article 32 hearing?
  11. What’s the relationship between the CID investigation and the Article 32 hearing?
  12. What’s the relationship between Article 31 and involuntary statements?
  13. What’s the best way to document a violation of Article 31 rights?
  14. What UCMJ provisions apply to unauthorized access to command-controlled personnel databases?
  15. What types of investigations require Article 31 compliance?
  16. What timeline restrictions apply for preferring Article 120 charges?
  17. What timeline constraints exist on the use of past misconduct in present administrative hearings?
  18. What Supreme Court rulings support the strength of Article 31 protections?
  19. What strategic advantages does an Article 32 hearing offer the defense?
  20. What steps must be taken to prevent character evidence from being excluded at trial?
  21. What steps can the defense take to challenge command influence in Article 120 proceedings?
  22. What steps can military defense take to mitigate impact of prior adverse administrative actions?
  23. What standards apply when determining admissibility of witness social media history in credibility attacks?
  24. What standards apply when a service member claims unlawful retaliation for requesting counsel?
  25. What standards apply to suppression of victim impact statements that reference uncharged conduct?