US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

10 U.S.C. § 838

Art. 38. Duties of trial counsel and defense counsel

(a)
The trial counsel of a general or special court-martial shall prosecute in the name of the United States, and shall, under the direction of the court, prepare the record of the proceedings.
(b)
(1)
section 832 of this title The accused has the right to be represented in his defense before a general or special court-martial or at a preliminary hearing under (article 32) as provided in this subsection.
(2)
The accused may be represented by civilian counsel if provided by him.
(3)
The accused may be represented—
(A)
section 827 of this title by military counsel detailed under (article 27); or
(B)
by military counsel of his own selection if that counsel is reasonably available (as determined under regulations prescribed under paragraph (7)).
(4)
If the accused is represented by civilian counsel, military counsel detailed or selected under paragraph (3) shall act as associate counsel unless excused at the request of the accused.
(5)
Except as provided under paragraph (6), if the accused is represented by military counsel of his own selection under paragraph (3)(B), any military counsel detailed under paragraph (3)(A) shall be excused.
(6)
section 827 of this title The accused is not entitled to be represented by more than one military counsel. However, the person authorized under regulations prescribed under (article 27) to detail counsel, in his sole discretion—
(A)
may detail additional military counsel as assistant defense counsel; and
(B)
if the accused is represented by military counsel of his own selection under paragraph (3)(B), may approve a request from the accused that military counsel detailed under paragraph (3)(A) act as associate defense counsel.
(7)
The Secretary concerned shall, by regulation, define “reasonably available” for the purpose of paragraph (3)(B) and establish procedures for determining whether the military counsel selected by an accused under that paragraph is reasonably available. Such regulations may not prescribe any limitation based on the reasonable availability of counsel solely on the grounds that the counsel selected by the accused is from an armed force other than the armed force of which the accused is a member. To the maximum extent practicable, such regulations shall establish uniform policies among the armed forces while recognizing the differences in the circumstances and needs of the various armed forces. The Secretary concerned shall submit copies of regulations prescribed under this paragraph to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives.
(c)
In any court-martial proceeding resulting in a conviction, the defense counsel—
(1)
may forward for attachment to the record of proceedings a brief of such matters as he determines should be considered in behalf of the accused on review (including any objection to the contents of the record which he considers appropriate);
(2)
may assist the accused in the submission of any matter under section 860, 860a, or 860b of this title (article 60, 60a, or 60b); and
(3)
may take other action authorized by this chapter.
(d)
section 827 of this title An assistant trial counsel of a general court-martial may, under the direction of the trial counsel or when he is qualified to be a trial counsel as required by (article 27), perform any duty imposed by law, regulation, or the custom of the service upon the trial counsel of the court. An assistant trial counsel of a special court-martial may perform any duty of the trial counsel.
(e)
An assistant defense counsel of a general or special court-martial may perform any duty imposed by law, regulation, or the custom of the service upon counsel for the accused.

Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 104170A Stat. 50Pub. L. 90–632, § 2(14)82 Stat. 1338Pub. L. 97–81, § 4(b)95 Stat. 1088Pub. L. 98–209, § 3(e)97 Stat. 1394Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title XV, § 1502(a)(1)110 Stat. 502Pub. L. 106–65, div. A, title X, § 1067(1)113 Stat. 774Pub. L. 113–66, div. A, title XVII, § 1702(c)(3)(C)127 Stat. 957Pub. L. 114–328, div. E, title LVII, § 5221130 Stat. 2909Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title V, § 531(c)131 Stat. 1384(, ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , .)

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised section

Source (U.S. Code)

Source (Statutes at Large)

838(a)

838(b)

838(c)

50:613(a).

50:613(b).

50:613(c).

May 5, 1950, ch. 169, § 1 (Art. 38), 64 Stat. 120.

838(d)

50:613(d).

838(e)

50:613(e).

In subsection (b), the word “has” is substituted for the words “shall have”. The word “under” is substituted for the words “pursuant to”. The word “duly” is omitted as surplusage. The words “detailed” and “who were detailed” are substituted for the word “appointed”, since the filling of the position involved is not appointment to an office in the constitutional sense.

In subsection (c), the word “considers” is substituted for the words “may deem”.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 115–91section 860 of this title2017—Subsec. (c)(2). substituted “section 860, 860a, or 860b of this title (article 60, 60a, or 60b)” for “ (article 60)”.

Pub. L. 114–328section 827 of this title2016—Subsec. (e). struck out “, under the direction of the defense counsel or when he is qualified to be the defense counsel as required by (article 27),” after “court-martial may”.

Pub. L. 113–662013—Subsec. (b)(1). substituted “a preliminary hearing under section 832” for “an investigation under section 832”.

Pub. L. 106–651999—Subsec. (b)(7). substituted “and the Committee on Armed Services” for “and the Committee on National Security”.

Pub. L. 104–1061996—Subsec. (b)(7). substituted “Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on National Security of the House of Representatives” for “Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives”.

Pub. L. 98–209, § 3(e)(1)section 827 of this title1983—Subsec. (b)(6). , substituted “the person authorized under regulations prescribed under (article 27) to detail counsel” for “a convening authority”.

Pub. L. 98–209, § 3(e)(2)Subsec. (b)(7). , inserted provision that such regulations may not prescribe any limitation based on the reasonable availability of counsel solely on the grounds that the counsel selected by the accused is from an armed force other than the armed force of which the accused is a member.

Pub. L. 98–209, § 3(e)(3)Subsec. (c). , designated existing provisions as par. (1), made minor changes in phraseology and punctuation, and added pars. (2) and (3).

Pub. L. 97–81section 832 of this title1981—Subsec. (b). revised subsec. (b) by dividing its provisions into seven numbered paragraphs and inserted provisions relating to the right to counsel at an investigation under (article 32), authorizing the promulgation of regulations relating to the “reasonable availability” of military counsel, and authorizing the detailing of additional military counsel for the accused under specified circumstances.

Pub. L. 90–6321968—Subsec. (b). substituted “military judge or by the president of a court-martial without a military judge” for “president of the court”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2017 Amendment

Pub. L. 115–91Pub. L. 114–32810 U.S.C. 801section 531(p) of Pub. L. 115–91section 801 of this titleAmendment by effective immediately after the amendments made by div. E (§§ 5001–5542) of take effect as provided for in section 5542 of that Act ( note), see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 2016 Amendment

Pub. L. 114–328section 5542 of Pub. L. 114–328section 801 of this titleAmendment by effective on , as designated by the President, with implementing regulations and provisions relating to applicability to various situations, see and Ex. Ord. No. 13825, set out as notes under .

Effective Date of 2013 Amendment

Pub. L. 113–66section 1702(d)(1) of Pub. L. 113–66section 802 of this titleAmendment by effective on the later of , or the date of the enactment of the Carl Levin and Howard P. “Buck” McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 () and applicable with respect to preliminary hearings conducted on or after that effective date, see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1983 Amendment

Pub. L. 98–209Pub. L. 98–209section 801 of this titleAmendment by effective first day of eighth calendar month after , but not to affect the designation or detail of a military judge or military counsel to a court-martial before that date, see section 12(a)(1), (2) of , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1981 Amendment

Pub. L. 97–81Pub. L. 97–81section 706 of this titleAmendment by to take effect at end of 60-day period beginning on , and to apply to trials by courts-martial in which all charges are referred to trial on or after that date, see section 7(a) and (b)(4) of , set out as an Effective Date note under .

Effective Date of 1968 Amendment

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