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

In California, a court-martial is a military trial that is conducted by the military, not a civilian court. There are two types of court-martials: summary and general. A summary court-martial is the simplest form of court-martial. It generally handles minor offenses, like disobeying an order, sleeping on duty, or being absent without leave. This court-martial is presided over by an officer and a panel of officers or peers. It is designed to be a swift and efficient justice system. A general court-martial is more serious than a summary court-martial. It deals with more severe offenses like desertion, murder, sexual assault, and other major violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). This court-martial is similar to a civilian court. It is presided over by a military judge, a law-trained officer, and a panel of officers or peers. The accused is allowed to have a defense attorney present to argue their case. In California, the decision rendered in a general court-martial is much more severe than in a summary court-martial. If found guilty, a person can be sentenced to time in prison, dishonorable discharge, and even death. Summary court-martials can also have serious punishments, but they are usually more lenient than those of a general court-martial. In summary, the difference between a summary court-martial and a general court-martial is that the former is designed to handle minor offenses while the latter is designed to handle more serious offenses. Additionally, the punishments which may be handed down from a general court-martial are usually more severe than those which may be handed down from a summary court-martial.

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

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