Title 10Armed ForcesRelease 119-73

§816 Art. 16. Courts-martial classified

Title 10 › Subtitle Subtitle A— - General Military Law › Part PART II— - PERSONNEL › Chapter CHAPTER 47— - UNIFORM CODE OF MILITARY JUSTICE › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER IV— - COURT-MARTIAL JURISDICTION › § 816

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Each branch of the armed forces must have three kinds of courts-martial: general, special, and summary. A general court-martial comes in three forms: a military judge plus eight members; in a capital case, a military judge plus the number of members set under section 825a of this title (and subject to sections 825(e)(3) and 829); or a military judge alone if the accused, knowing who the judge is and after talking with defense counsel, asks on the record or in writing and the judge agrees. A special court-martial can be a military judge plus four members (subject to sections 825(e)(3) and 829) or a military judge alone — either when the case is referred that way (under section 819 and any limits the President sets) or when the accused asks before the court meets, knowing the judge’s identity, after consulting counsel, and the judge approves. A summary court-martial is made up of one commissioned officer.

Full Legal Text

Title 10, §816

Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The three kinds of courts-martial in each of the armed forces are the following:
(1)General courts-martial, as described in subsection (b).
(2)Special courts-martial, as described in subsection (c).
(3)Summary courts-martial, as described in subsection (d).
(b)General courts-martial are of the following three types:
(1)A general court-martial consisting of a military judge and eight members, subject to section 825(e)(3) and 829 of this title (articles 25(e)(3) and 29).
(2)In a capital case, a general court-martial consisting of a military judge and the number of members determined under section 825a of this title (article 25a), subject to section 825(e)(3) and 829 of this title (articles 25(e)(3) and 29).
(3)A general court-martial consisting of a military judge alone, if, before the court is assembled, the accused, knowing the identity of the military judge and after consultation with defense counsel, requests, orally on the record or in writing, a court composed of a military judge alone and the military judge approves the request.
(c)Special courts-martial are of the following two types:
(1)A special court-martial consisting of a military judge and four members, subject to section 825(e)(3) and 829 of this title (articles 25(e)(3) and 29).
(2)A special court-martial consisting of a military judge alone—
(A)if the case is so referred, subject to section 819 of this title (article 19) and such limitations as the President may prescribe by regulation; or
(B)if the case is referred under paragraph (1) and, before the court is assembled, the accused, knowing the identity of the military judge and after consultation with defense counsel, requests, orally on the record or in writing, a court composed of a military judge alone and the military judge approves the request.
(d)A summary court-martial consists of one commissioned officer.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised sectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 81650:576.May 5, 1950, ch. 169, § 1 (Art. 16), 64 Stat. 113. The word “The” is substituted for the words “There shall be”. The word “are” is substituted for the word “namely”. The words “not less than five members” are substituted for the words “any number of members not less than five”. The words “not less than three members” are substituted for the words “any number of members not less than three”. The word “commissioned” is inserted before the word “officer” in clause (3) for clarity.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2023—Subsec. (c)(2)(A). Pub. L. 118–31 struck out “by the convening authority” after “is so referred”. 2017—Subsecs. (b), (c). Pub. L. 115–91 substituted “section 825(e)(3) and 829 of this title (articles 25(e)(3) and 29)” for “section 825(d)(3) and 829 of this title (articles 25(d)(3) and 29)” wherever appearing. 2016—Pub. L. 114–328 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section defined the three kinds of courts-martial in each of the armed forces. 2001—Par. (1)(A). Pub. L. 107–107 inserted “or, in a case in which the accused may be sentenced to a penalty of death, the number of members determined under section 825a of this title (article 25a)” after “five members”. 1983—Par. (1)(B). Pub. L. 98–209 substituted “orally on the record or in writing” for “in writing”. 1968—Pub. L. 90–632 provided that a general or special court-martial shall consist of only a military judge if the accused, before the court is assembled, so requests in writing and the military judge approves, with the added requirements that the accused know the identity of the military judge and have the advice of counsel, and that the election be available in the case of a special court-martial only if a military judge has been detailed to the court.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2023 Amendment Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title V, § 531(e), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 260, provided that: “The

Amendments

made by subsection (b) and subsection (c)(1) [amending this section and section 824a and 825 of this title] shall take effect immediately after the coming into effect of the

Amendments

made by part 1 of subtitle D of title V of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (Public Law 117–81) as provided in section 539C of that Act (10 U.S.C. 801 note).”

Effective Date

of 2017 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 115–91 effective immediately after the

Amendments

made by div. E (§§ 5001–5542) of Pub. L. 114–328 take effect as provided for in section 5542 of that Act (10 U.S.C. 801 note), see section 1081(c)(4) of Pub. L. 115–91, set out as a note under section 801 of this title.

Effective Date

of 2016 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 114–328 effective on Jan. 1, 2019, as designated by the President, with implementing

Regulations

and provisions relating to applicability to various situations, see section 5542 of Pub. L. 114–328 and Ex. Ord. No. 13825, set out as notes under section 801 of this title.

Effective Date

of 2001 Amendment Pub. L. 107–107, div. A, title V, § 582(d), Dec. 28, 2001, 115 Stat. 1125, provided that: “The

Amendments

made by this section [enacting section 825a of this title and amending this section and section 829 of this title] shall apply with respect to offenses committed after December 31, 2002.”

Effective Date

of 1983 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 98–209 effective first day of eighth calendar month beginning after Dec. 6, 1983, see section 12(a)(1) of Pub. L. 98–209, set out as a note under section 801 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1968 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 90–632 effective first day of tenth month following October 1968, see section 4 of Pub. L. 90–632, set out as a note under section 801 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

10 U.S.C. § 816

Title 10Armed Forces

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73