What is the difference between a court martial and a summary court-martial?

A court-martial is a criminal trial conducted by the military and conducted according to military law. It is used to prosecute military personnel for alleged violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), which is the set of laws that govern the conduct of members of the armed forces. A summary court-martial is a less formal version of the court-martial. Summary courts-martial are used to deal with less serious offenses committed by military personnel. It is normally conducted by a single Disciplinary Officer, such as a commander or officer, and a single Enlisted Personnel member. The Disciplinary Officer is the one who makes the determination of guilt or innocence and decides the appropriate punishment. The main difference between a court-martial and a summary court-martial is the formality of the proceedings. A court-martial involves more formal proceedings, which include witnesses and other evidence, and are usually presided over by a panel of officers. By contrast, a summary court-martial is more informal and typically involves only the defendant and the Disciplinary Officer. The punishment for a summary court-martial is generally less severe than that of a court-martial.

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What is the difference between a court martial and a summary court-martial?

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