A Guide to Military Criminal Law (Hardcover)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Such pressing legal issues as sexual harassment and fraternization that face the U.S. military today make this reference essential reading for members of all the military services and for civilians with an interest in military law. The author is a former Army field artillery officer who has served as a military and federal prosecutor as well as a civil litigation attorney specializing in discrimination cases. For this handy guide he explains the military justice system to the layman with useful and interesting discussions of military law and procedure. He illustrates legal points with famous cases and historical events, for example, the court-martial of baseball great Jackie Robinson. Particularly helpful are the comparisons he makes between the civilian and military legal systems.

The book includes an examination of nonjudicial punishment, a step-by-step description of the court-martial process, and an overview of the various constitutional and statutory rights enjoyed by those in the military. It also looks at selected military crimes and the defenses of such crimes. And, because war crimes committed by American service members are prosecuted under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, the guide further provides an excellent introduction to the Law of War.

There is no other book currently available that presents such a complete yet easy-to-understand explanation for the nonlawyer of legal procedures in the military. A reader can find out about the jurisdiction of military law and who is subject to it--some will be surprised to learn that military retirees are covered by the laws--who makes up the court, what are considered to be crimes and examples of those who have been convicted, along with countless other facts that will prove useful to those seeking information of a unique segment of law in the United States.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 191 pages
• Publisher: US Naval Institute Press (June 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1557501556
• ISBN-13: 978-1557501554
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #962,802 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Start, September 17, 2007

By	Mike Crestwood (New York) - See all my reviews

Mr. Davidson's book is a must for anyone trying to understand the differences between civilian criminal law and military criminal law. Neatly arranged and written in an easy-to understand format, it's 152 pages of text manages to be informative without overwhelming the reader. I'm using it in my introduction to military justice (college) class, and the students have found it to be easy to understand. Well done!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent introduction to the subject., May 20, 2006

By	W. Heflin (U.S.A.) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Davidson's book is an excellent introduction to a fascinating subject, (at least for a civillian criminal lawyer). Well written with short, concise, but interesting explinations about a various aspects of the UCMJ, including its development, jurisdiction, and a brief overview of the whole code. My only criticisim is that it is a little too short, the author left me wanting much more, like an expliantion of the appeal process, and more information about pre-trial procedure. Not only for lawyers, but an interesting read for anybody interested in the subject.