ABOUT OJAG, Washington, DC, Appellate Review Div.
- OJAG stands for the Office of the Judge Advocate General, which serves as the legal arm of the United States Navy and provides legal advice to senior naval leadership.
- The Appellate Review Division (Code 46) is a specialized branch within OJAG, based in Washington, DC, that reviews court-martial convictions and ensures legal proceedings meet statutory and constitutional standards.
- The division handles appeals from all Navy and Marine Corps courts-martial, acting as a crucial safeguard for the rights of service members within the military justice system.
- OJAG's roots date back to 1865, when Congress first established the position of Judge Advocate General in the Navy, making it one of the oldest legal offices in the U.S. military.
- OJAG played a key role in the implementation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) in 1951, which standardized military law across all service branches.
- The Appellate Review Division is staffed by highly trained military attorneys known as judge advocates, who often have extensive civilian legal experience and advanced law degrees.
- The division is responsible for submitting cases to higher appellate courts, including the Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces.
- OJAG and its Appellate Review Division have been involved in landmark cases that have shaped military criminal law, such as United States v. Loving, which addressed the constitutionality of the military death penalty.
- OJAG’s Code 46 attorneys also draft legal policy, provide training, and publish appellate opinions that impact both military and civilian legal communities.
- The division's work is critical to upholding the integrity and fairness of the Navy and Marine Corps justice systems, ensuring that service members' rights are protected and that justice is served.