Title 28 — Judiciary and Judicial ProcedureRelease 119-73not60
§513 Attorney General to Advise Secretaries of Military Departments
Title 28 › Part II— DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE › Chapter 31— THE ATTORNEY GENERAL › § 513
Summary
When a legal question comes up in running the Army, Navy, or Air Force, and no law gives another officer the job of answering it for the Secretary, the Secretary must send the question to the Attorney General to handle.
Full Legal Text
Title 28, §513
Judiciary and Judicial Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
When a question of law arises in the administration of the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, or the Department of the Air Force, the cognizance of which is not given by statute to some other officer from whom the Secretary of the military department concerned may require advice, the Secretary of the military department shall send it to the Attorney General for disposition.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
DerivationU.S. CodeRevised Statutes andStatutes at Large 5 U.S.C. 307.R.S. § 357. The Department of War was designated the Department of the Army by the Act of
July 26, 1947, ch. 343, § 205, 61 Stat. 501. “Department of the Air Force” is added on authority of the Act of
July 26, 1947, ch. 343, § 207(a), (f), 61 Stat. 502. The word “Secretary” is substituted for “head.” The words “military department” are substituted for “department” to conform to section 102 of title 5, United States Code, and section 101 of title 10, United States Code. The words “for disposition” are substituted for “to be by him referred to the proper officer in his department, or otherwise disposed of as he may deem proper.”
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
28 U.S.C. § 513
Title 28 — Judiciary and Judicial Procedure
Last Updated
Apr 5, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60