(a) This code applies to all members of the state military forces at all times and in all places, except it does not apply to a member for any offenses committed while in a duty status under Title 10 U.S.C.
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Terms Used In Alabama Code 31-2A-2

  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
(b) Subject matter jurisdiction is established if a clear and convincing nexus exists between an offense, either military or non-military, and the state military force. When a member is in a duty status under either Title 32 U.S.C. or State Active Duty then a rebuttable presumption exists that the nexus is established. A proper civilian court has primary jurisdiction of an offense when an act or omission violates both this code and civilian criminal law, foreign or domestic. In such a case, a court-martial may be initiated only after the civilian prosecutorial authority has declined to prosecute or dismissed the charge, provided jeopardy has not attached. Courts-martial shall have primary jurisdiction over all military offenses defined in this code. Jurisdiction over attempted crimes, conspiracy crimes, solicitation, and accessory crimes must be determined by the underlying offense.
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