Fairness for Veterans Act 2016
In 2016, The U. S. Government Accountability Office studied Department of Defense (DOD) data collected from 2011 to 2015. Consequently, their analysis found that during the years 2011 to 2015, 91,764 service members were separated for misconduct.
Rebut and Appeal a Negative Military Evaluation
Service members should consider rebutting or appealing a negative military evaluation to avoid lasting effects on their careers.
Will the Military Automatically Upgrade My Discharge?
One of the most common urban legends throughout the military is that a negative service characterization or discharge will be upgraded after six months. Throughout the last decade and a half that I have been practicing military law, I have heard this idea repeated many times.
When Experts Matter
We litigated a hard-fought trial in Pennsylvania involving the death of a woman. We obtained a full acquittal after almost two years of motions practice and battling with the prosecution. Even though the trial lasted four long days, the jury deliberated for less than 30 minutes before reaching a verdict.
Should I Go Judge Alone?
One of the frequent questions I hear in my practice relates to whether or not a military member facing court-martial should “go judge alone.” That means that a military judge rather than a court-martial panel will decide guilt or innocence and then decide on an appropriate sentence.
Naturalization Through Service
Recently, Military.com ran an Associated Press story about the Army quietly discharging immigrant recruits. I found this story particularly troubling because immigration is a hot-button political issue impacting families all over this country.
Temporary Disability and Severance Pay
As a Soldier, physical and mental fitness for duty is required to serve. If an injury or illness has compromised a Soldier’s ability to serve, medical retirement does not automatically follow.
Is a “Guilty” finding at NJP an actual “Conviction?”
Not a Criminal Proceeding. A guilty finding at a non-judicial punishment should never be considered a ‘conviction’ because it was never meant to be a criminal proceeding. The purpose of non-judicial punishment is to correct minor deficiencies with service members in an expeditious manner and not to punish the military member in any lasting way. […]
Strategic Court-Martial Defense
“Strategic” refers to identifying long-term or overall aims and interests and the means of achieving them. Recently, during one of our Friday afternoon meetings, our firm’s attorneys discussed the goals and reasonable potential outcomes for several of our ongoing cases.
Attorney Jonathan Crisp Helps Acquit Maryland Man of Rape Accusations
Attorney Jonathan Crisp from Crisp and Associates, LLC has successfully defended a Maryland man against rape charges. The defendant was accused of raping a fellow National Guard member after a night of drinking at Fort Indiantown Gap in May 2014.
