Subdivision 1.Investigating board; assessment of damages.

Whenever complaint is made to any commanding officer that willful damage has been done to the property of any person or that property has been wrongfully taken by members of the state military forces, the commanding officer may, subject to such rules as the governor may prescribe, convene a board to investigate the complaint. The board shall consist of from one to three commissioned officers and, for the purpose of that investigation, it has power to summon witnesses and examine them upon oath or affirmation, to receive depositions or other documentary evidence, and to assess the damages sustained against the responsible parties. The assessment of damages made by the board is subject to the approval of the commanding officer, and in the amount approved by the commanding officer shall be charged against the pay of the offenders. The order of the commanding officer directing charges herein authorized is conclusive, except as provided in subdivision 3, on any disbursing officer for the payment by the commanding officer to the injured parties of the damages so assessed and approved.

Subd. 2.Unascertainable offenders.

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Terms Used In Minnesota Statutes 192A.63

  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • Code: means this chapter;

    (4) "Commanding officer" means a commissioned officer who is in command of any unit;

    (5) "Commissioned officer" includes a commissioned warrant officer;

    (6) "Convening authority" includes, in addition to the person who convened the court, a commissioned officer commanding or temporarily commanding, or a successor in command;

    (7) "Enlisted member" means a person in an enlisted grade;

    (8) "Federal active service" has the meaning given in section 190. See Minnesota Statutes 192A.015

  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Cross examine: Questioning of a witness by the attorney for the other side.
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Military: refers to any or all of the armed forces of the United States or any state;

    (13) "Military court" means a court-martial, a court of inquiry;

    (14) "Officer" means commissioned or warrant officer;

    (15) "Rank" means the order of precedence among members of the state military forces;

    (16) "Shall" is used in a mandatory sense;

    (17) "State judge advocate" means the commissioned officer responsible for supervising the administration of the military justice in the state military forces and appointed pursuant to section 192A. See Minnesota Statutes 192A.015

  • Person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, and to partnerships and other unincorporated associations. See Minnesota Statutes 645.44
  • state: extends to and includes the District of Columbia and the several territories. See Minnesota Statutes 645.44
  • State military forces: means the National Guard of the state, as defined in United States Code, title 32, § 101(3) and any other military force organized under the laws of the state;

    (19) "Superior commissioned officer" means a commissioned officer superior in rank and command. See Minnesota Statutes 192A.015

If the offenders cannot be ascertained, but the organization or detachment to which they belong is known, charges totaling the amount of damages assessed and approved may be paid to the injured parties from the military funds of the units of the state military forces to which the offenders belonged.

Subd. 3.Rights of accused.

Any person subject to this code who is accused of causing willful damage to property has the right to be represented by counsel, to summon witnesses, to cross examine adverse witnesses, and to appeal to the next higher commander.