Texas Government Code 432.046 – Detail of Trial Counsel and Defense Counsel
(a) The authority convening each general, special, or summary court-martial shall detail trial counsel, defense counsel, and assistants that the authority considers appropriate. A person who has acted as investigating officer, military judge, or court member in a case may not act later as trial counsel or assistant trial counsel, or, unless expressly requested by the accused, as defense counsel or assistant defense counsel in the same case. A person who has acted for the prosecution may not act later in the same case for the defense, nor may a person who has acted for the defense act later in the same case for the prosecution.
(b) Trial counsel or defense counsel detailed for a general court-martial must be:
(1) a member of the State Bar of Texas; and
(2) certified as competent to perform those duties by the state judge advocate general.
Terms Used In Texas Government Code 432.046
- Person: includes corporation, organization, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, association, and any other legal entity. See Texas Government Code 311.005
- Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
- Written: includes any representation of words, letters, symbols, or figures. See Texas Government Code 311.005
(b-1) Trial counsel or defense counsel detailed for a general court-martial may not be under the supervision or command of the other counsel unless the accused and the prosecution expressly waive this restriction.
(c) In the case of a special or summary court-martial the accused shall be afforded the opportunity to be represented at the trial by counsel having the qualifications prescribed under Subsection (b) unless counsel having those qualifications cannot be obtained because of physical conditions or military exigencies. If counsel having those qualifications cannot be obtained, the court may be convened and the trial held, but the convening authority shall make a detailed written statement, to be appended to the record, stating why counsel with those qualifications could not be obtained. If the trial counsel is qualified to act as counsel before a general court-martial, the defense counsel detailed by the convening authority must be a person similarly qualified. If the trial counsel is a judge advocate or a member of the State Bar of Texas, the defense counsel detailed by the convening authority must be a judge advocate or a member of the State Bar of Texas.