West Virginia Code 15-1E-5 – Territorial applicability of the article
(a) This article has applicability at all times and in all places, provided that either the person subject to the article is in a duty status or, if not in a duty status, that there is a nexus between the act or omission constituting the offense and the efficient functioning of the state military forces; however, this grant of military jurisdiction shall neither preclude nor limit civilian jurisdiction over an offense, which is limited only by the prohibition of double jeopardy.
Terms Used In West Virginia Code 15-1E-5
- 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.
- Offense: includes every act or omission for which a fine, forfeiture, or punishment is imposed by law. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
- State: means one of the several states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U. See West Virginia Code 15-1E-1
- State military forces: means the National Guard of the state, as defined in title 32, United States Code, to include the West Virginia Army National Guard, the West Virginia Air National Guard and the inactive National Guard, and shall be deemed to include any unit, component, element, headquarters, staff or cadre thereof, as well as any member or members, when not in a status subjecting them to exclusive jurisdiction under chapter 47 of title 10, United States Code. See West Virginia Code 15-1E-1
(b) Courts-martial and courts of inquiry may be convened and held in units of the state military forces while those units are serving outside the state with the same jurisdiction and powers as to persons subject to this article as if the proceedings were held inside the state, and offenses committed outside the state may be tried and punished either inside or outside the state.