Who has the authority to convene a court-martial?

In Mississippi, the authority to convene a court-martial falls to the commanding officer of a military unit. In the military, a court-martial is a type of criminal trial for violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). The court-martial has the power to try service members for all offenses under the UCMJ, and is authorized to pass sentences that involve military confinement, forfeiture of pay, reduction in rank, and even death. The commanding officer may convene a general court-martial to try any service member for any military offense, or refer a case to a special or summary court-martial, depending on the nature of the offense. General court-martials are composed of at least three commissioned officers, whereas special courts-martial are composed of at least one commissioned officer and two enlisted personnel. Summary courts-martial are composed of a single commissioned officer who acts as both the judge and jury. The commanding officer may also dismiss cases or waive cases from a court-martial to non-judicial punishment. The commanding officer holds the power to convene a court-martial as part of his or her duties of ensuring the good order and discipline of the unit. In Mississippi, this higher authority typically resides with a colonel, but can be held by any rank above a company-level officer. The commanding officer also appoints the members of the court-martial and the trial counsel. This authority is ultimately derived from the UCMJ and various federal and state statutes.

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Who has the authority to convene a court-martial?

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