Title 10, Armed ForcesRelease 119-110

§948b Military Commissions Generally

Title 10 › Subtitle A — General Military Law › PART II — PERSONNEL › CHAPTER 47A — MILITARY COMMISSIONS › SUBCHAPTER I — GENERAL PROVISIONS › § 948b

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Creates the rules for military commissions to try alien unprivileged enemy belligerents for violations of the law of war and other crimes. The President may set up these commissions under this chapter. The procedures borrow from the general courts-martial rules in chapter 47, but chapter 47 does not automatically apply to commissions; only those parts that this chapter or the chapter’s words say apply will be used. Some specific parts of chapter 47 do not apply to these commissions: Section 810 (speedy trial), Sections 831(a), (b), and (d) (rules on forced self-incrimination), and Section 832 (preliminary hearing). Other parts of chapter 47 apply only as this chapter says. The Geneva Conventions do not create a private right to sue for an alien unprivileged enemy belligerent tried under these commissions.

Full Legal Text

Title 10, §948b

Armed Forces, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Purpose.—
This chapter establishes procedures governing the use of military commissions to try alien unprivileged enemy belligerents for violations of the law of war and other offenses triable by military commission.
(b)Authority for Military Commissions Under This Chapter.—
The President is authorized to establish military commissions under this chapter for offenses triable by military commission as provided in this chapter.
(c)Construction of Provisions.—
The procedures for military commissions set forth in this chapter are based upon the procedures for trial by general courts-martial under chapter 47 of this title (the Uniform Code of Military Justice). Chapter 47 of this title does not, by its terms, apply to trial by military commission except as specifically provided therein or in this chapter, and many of the provisions of chapter 47 of this title are by their terms inapplicable to military commissions. The judicial construction and application of chapter 47 of this title, while instructive, is therefore not of its own force binding on military commissions established under this chapter.
(d)Inapplicability of Certain Provisions.—
(1)The following provisions of this title shall not apply to trial by military commission under this chapter:
(A)section 810 (article 10 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), relating to speedy trial, including any rule of courts-martial relating to speedy trial.
(B)section 831(a), (b), and (d) (articles 31(a), (b), and (d) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), relating to compulsory self-incrimination.
(C)section 832 (article 32 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), relating to preliminary hearing.
(2)Other provisions of chapter 47 of this title shall apply to trial by military commission under this chapter only to the extent provided by the terms of such provisions or by this chapter.
(e)Geneva Conventions Not Establishing Private Right of Action.—
No alien unprivileged enemy belligerent subject to trial by military commission under this chapter may invoke the Geneva Conventions as a basis for a private right of action.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 948b, added Pub. L. 109–366, § 3(a)(1), Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2602, related to military commissions generally, prior to the general amendment of this chapter by Pub. L. 111–84.

Amendments

2013—Subsec. (d)(1)(C). Pub. L. 113–66 substituted “preliminary hearing” for “pretrial investigation”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2013 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 113–66 effective on the later of Dec. 26, 2014, or the date of the enactment of the Carl Levin and Howard P. “Buck” McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (Dec. 19, 2014) and applicable with respect to preliminary hearings conducted on or after that

Effective Date

, see section 1702(d)(1) of Pub. L. 113–66, set out as a note under section 802 of this title.

Executive Documents

Ex. Ord. No. 13425. Trial of Alien Unlawful Enemy Combatants by Military Commission Ex. Ord. No. 13425, Feb. 14, 2007, 72 F.R. 7737, provided: By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the Military Commissions Act of 2006 (Public Law 109–366), the Authorization for Use of Military Force (Public Law 107–40), and section 948b(b) of title 10, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows: section 1. Establishment of Military Commissions. There are hereby established military commissions to try alien unlawful enemy combatants for offenses triable by military commission as provided in chapter 47A of title 10. Sec. 2. Definitions. As used in this order: (a) “unlawful enemy combatant” has the meaning provided for that term in section 948a(1) of title 10; and (b) “alien” means a person who is not a citizen of the United States. Sec. 3. Supersedure. This order supersedes any provision of the President’s Military Order of November 13, 2001 (66 Fed. Reg. 57,833), that relates to trial by military commission, specifically including: (a) section 4 of the Military Order; and (b) any requirement in section 2 of the Military Order, as it relates to trial by military commission, for a determination of: (i) reason to believe specified matters; or (ii) the interest of the United States. Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) This order shall be implemented in accordance with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. (b) The heads of executive departments and agencies shall provide such information and assistance to the Secretary of Defense as may be necessary to implement this order and chapter 47A of title 10. (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, entities, officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. George W. Bush.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

10 U.S.C. § 948b

Title 10, Armed Forces

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110