Blog

Appearing before the Army Clemency and Parole Board in Washington DC can be a stressful event. By the time of the hearing, families are often mentally, emotionally, and financially drained by the court-martial process and consequences. Having a lawyer at the Clemency and Parole Board is usually a luxury.When that day finally comes, you will...

The Navy has released its courts-martial data for October 2016. Here is our analysis. We count 29 General and Special courts-martial across the Navy. Once again, the Navy dealt out a lot of cases – 20 (75%). Another case (21) was a mixed plea. The Sailor was found guilty of the remaining offenses. The 8 remaining cases...

Mr. Conway following a full acquittal at Fort Carson. It’s that time of year where we can look back and evaluate our results in trial for the year. On our results page, we’ve posted short summaries of all of the courts-martial that Mr. Conway appeared in. We may be the only firm that provides end of year litigation statistics....

On November 17, 2016, Mr. Pristera argued the case of United States v. Cook on appeal at the United States Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals. The unique appeal presented diametrically opposing positions where Mr. Pristera had to concurrently argue for a new trial based on newly discovered evidence under R.C.M. 1210, and also ineffective assistance...

We always aim to provide feedback on the discharge review boards after a personal appearance. The composition of the board changes regularly and success can sometimes be personality dependent on the membership of the board. On 7 November, Mr. Pristera represented a former Army National Guard NCO in a request for a discharge upgrade. The NCO was mobilized...

One purpose of this blog is to comment on trends in military justice. One of the trends I’ve seen lately is military defense counsel advising clients to waive their right to the Article 32 Investigation – particularly in sexual assault cases.As a civilian lawyer practicing exclusively military law, I have a unique perspective. I’m doing...

In recent months, this firm has seen an uptick in the number of marijuana cases in the military. Marijuana is increasingly available as states across the country decriminalize the drug. CONTACT US! The military, however, maintains a zero-tolerance attitude towards illegal drugs of any kind. As edible marijuana products become more popular, the risk of...

Several years ago when a major publisher in the legal field was looking to improve their library on military topics, they approached Mr. Myers and Mr. Conway about doing a book. Our firm made perfect sense for a book. We are one of the most experienced firms in practice. After several years of work, the proofs...

On 25 September, the Army released data on the 42 courts-martial held in the month of August. https://www.armytimes.com/articles/army-releases-results-of-august-courts-martial​There are a number of lessons to be learned. -32 out of 42 cases in August were guilty pleas; -In 10 contested cases, only four Soldiers were found guilty. A 60% acquittal rate in contested trials is pretty good odds; -21 out...

Over the last few years, the Manual for Courts-Martial has undergone a series of seemingly never-ending changes. This year’s installment of changes has been approved.​For the non-lawyers, changes to the Uniform Code of Military Justice occur through Congressional action. The UCMJ is a statute. The President, however, can enact changes to the Manual for Courts-Martial...