Navy and Marine Corps officers are too frequently fired, or relieved of his or her duties, for alleged misconduct, incompetence, or poor leadership, or simply because something unfortunate happened under his or her watch. In 2015, there were 20 commanding officers fired, 4 executive officers fired, and 8 senior enlisted leaders fired. There were also […]

The Navy Appeals Court Makes an Interesting Observation of Sexual Contact Under Article 120, UCMJ   In United States v. Loeffler, NMCCA20150217 (May 31, 2016), a split Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals (NMCCA) finds factual insufficiency in Sgt Loeffler’s conviction for aggravated sexual contact.  Like Most Military Sexual Assault Cases, This Case is Fact-Driven

Jacksonville Criminal Defense Attorney for Active Duty Military   I spent 10 years on active duty in the Navy JAG Corps and now I am a civilian attorney located in Jacksonville, FL.  I routinely represent active duty Navy, Army, and Marine Corps members who are facing Florida state criminal charges in Duval, Nassau, and St.

When a military doctor receives a notice that his/her privileges at the military hospital have been placed in abeyance and approval for off-duty employment revoked, I generally see two reactions. The most common reaction by a military doctor who has had his/her privileges placed in abeyance is to think that he or she can resolve

If you are a military medical provider (doctor, nurse, or other privileged provider), it is in your best interests to retain a lawyer upon notice of an abeyance, suspension, or quality assurance investigation (QAI).  Such actions are only taken by military treatment facility (MTF) leadership upon notification of allegations of misconduct, impairment, or incompetence.  Further,

Military health care providers who are removed from patient care based on allegations of clinical incompetence, professional misconduct, or impairment (medical, mental, substance abuse) will not be immediately reinstated unless the Military Treatment Facility (MTF) commander (also known as the Privileging Authority) determines that the allegations are baseless on their face. If the allegations are

Today, the Jacksonville Times Union had a story (originally from the St. Augustine Record)  on the effort to start a Veterans Court Program in St. Johns County.  It looks like the program is getting traction.  The link can be found here.

Florida Law Provides Veterans With Special Treatment Programs Successful Completion of a Court Ordered Veterans Treatment Program Will Avoid a Criminal Conviction. The provisions of the T. Patt Maney Veterans’ Treatment Intervention Act passed by the Florida Legislature and signed into law by Florida’s Governor to take effect on July 1, 2012, as Section 394.47891

Faced with a growing number of federal contractors requiring access to military computer systems and bases which require the use of a Common Access Card (CAC), the Department of Defense (DoD) issued DoD Instruction Number 5200.46.  The instruction provides the adjudicative guidance for issuing a CAC to a federal contractor or civilian employee who does

Don’t Assume Being “Processed” or “Recommended” For Separation Means You Will Be Separated. There are many ways to fight a recommendation for administrative separation from the Navy or any other service.  A commander can only initiate the process.  There is always the opportunity to ask for a higher level review – whether by proceeding to