Title 10 — Armed ForcesRelease 119-73not60
§817 Art. 17. Jurisdiction of Courts-martial in General
Title 10 › Subtitle Subtitle A— General Military Law › Part II— PERSONNEL › Chapter 47— UNIFORM CODE OF MILITARY JUSTICE › Subchapter IV— COURT-MARTIAL JURISDICTION › § 817
Summary
Each military branch can try people who are covered by military law. If one branch tries members of another, it must follow rules the President sets. If the law requires a department-level review after the officer who started the general court-martial reviews the case, that review must be done by the department that contains the accused’s branch.
Full Legal Text
Title 10, §817
Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Each armed force has court-martial jurisdiction over all persons subject to this chapter. The exercise of jurisdiction by one armed force over personnel of another armed force shall be in accordance with regulations prescribed by the President.
(b)In all cases, departmental review after that by the officer with authority to convene a general court-martial for the command which held the trial, where that review is required under this chapter, shall be carried out by the department that includes the armed force of which the accused is a member.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Revised sectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 817(a)817(b)50:577(a).50:577(b).May 5, 1950, ch. 169, § 1 (Art. 17), 64 Stat. 114. In subsection (a), the word “has” is substituted for the words “shall have”. In subsection (b), the word “after” is substituted for the words “subsequent to”. The words “the provisions of” are omitted as surplusage. The words “department that includes the” are inserted before the words “armed force”, since the review is carried out by the department and not by the armed force.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
10 U.S.C. § 817
Title 10 — Armed Forces
Last Updated
Apr 3, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60