Title 10, Armed ForcesRelease 119-102
§890 Art. 90. Willfully Disobeying Superior Commissioned Officer
Title 10 › Subtitle A — General Military Law › PART II — PERSONNEL › CHAPTER 47 — UNIFORM CODE OF MILITARY JUSTICE › SUBCHAPTER X — PUNITIVE ARTICLES › § 890
Summary
Deliberately refusing a lawful order from a superior commissioned officer is a military crime. If it happens in wartime, a military court can punish by death or by other penalties; at other times the court can impose penalties but not death.
Full Legal Text
Title 10, §890
Armed Forces, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Any person subject to this chapter who willfully disobeys a lawful command of that person’s superior commissioned officer shall be punished—
(1)if the offense is committed in time of war, by death or such other punishment as a court-martial may direct; and
(2)if the offense is committed at any other time, by such punishment, other than death, as a court-martial may direct.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Revised sectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 89050:684.May 5, 1950, ch. 169, § 1 (Art. 90), 64 Stat. 135. The word “commissioned” is inserted for clarity.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2016—Pub. L. 114–328 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section related to the offense of assaulting or willfully disobeying a superior commissioned officer. See section 889(b) of this title.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
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.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
10 U.S.C. § 890
Title 10, Armed Forces
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102