(A) A military judge must be appointed by the Adjutant General from among the military forces. To be eligible for appointment as a military judge, the person must be:

(1) a member in good standing of the South Carolina Bar;

(2) a judge advocate;

(3) an active member of the National Guard; and

(4) hold the rank of major or above.

(B) A military judge must not be under the supervision of the state judge advocate or any other judge advocate in the South Carolina National Guard. Nothing in this section changes the authority of the National Guard Bureau or the Judge Advocate Generals of the Army or Air Force over the military judge.

(C) Subject to any limitations imposed by the South Carolina Code of Laws, a military judge presides at all general and special courts-martial and has the same authority as a South Carolina Circuit Judge in General Sessions Court.

(D) A military judge must periodically review the military justice system and advise the Adjutant General on at least an annual basis of the state of military justice in the South Carolina National Guard.

(E) All contact between a military judge and the Adjutant General must comply with American Bar Association’s Canons of Judicial Conduct and the applicable ethical standards for judges.