The Judge Advocate General of the Navy (JAG) is the highest-ranking uniformed lawyer in the

United States Department of the Navy The United States Department of the Navy (DoN) is one of the three military departments within the Department of Defense of the United States of America. It was established by an Act of Congress on 30 April 1798, at the urging of Secretary o ...

. The Judge Advocate General is the principal advisor to the

Secretary of the Navy The secretary of the Navy (or SECNAV) is a statutory officer () and the head (chief executive officer) of the Department of the Navy, a military department (component organization) within the United States Department of Defense. By law, the se ...

and the

Chief of Naval Operations The chief of naval operations (CNO) is the professional head of the United States Navy. The position is a statutory office () held by an admiral who is a military adviser and deputy to the secretary of the Navy. In a separate capacity as a memb ...

on legal matters pertaining to the Navy.
10 USC 5148. Judge Advocate General’s Corps: Office of the Judge Advocate General; Judge Advocate General; appointment, term, emoluments, duties. The Judge Advocate General also performs other duties prescribed to them under and those prescribed under the

Uniform Code of Military Justice The Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ, 10 U.S.C. §§ 801–946 is the foundation of Military justice, military law in the United States. It was established by the United States Congress in accordance with the authority given by the United S ...

Duties

The Judge Advocate General of the Navy, according to the United States Navy Regulations, has three principal roles: Staff Assistant in the

Office of the Secretary of the Navy The secretary of the Navy (or SECNAV) is a statutory officer () and the head (chief executive officer) of the Department of the Navy, a military department (component organization) within the United States Department of Defense. By law, the s ...

, commanding the Office of the Judge Advocate General (OJAG), and is Chief of the Judge Advocate General’s Corps. The Judge Advocate General maintains a close working relationship with the

General Counsel of the Department of the Navy A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED On ...

, the senior civilian lawyer in the Department of the Navy. The Judge Advocate General: *provides or supervises the provision of all legal advice and related services throughout the Department of the Navy, except for the advice and services provided by the

General Counsel A general counsel, also known as chief counsel or chief legal officer (CLO), is the chief in-house lawyer for a company or a governmental department. In a company, the person holding the position typically reports directly to the CEO, and their ...

; *performs the functions required or authorized by law; *provides legal and policy advice to the

military justice Military justice (also military law) is the legal system (bodies of law and procedure) that governs the conduct of the active-duty personnel of the armed forces of a country. In some nation-states, civil law and military law are distinct bod ...

administrative law Administrative law is the division of law that governs the activities of executive branch agencies of government. Administrative law concerns executive branch rule making (executive branch rules are generally referred to as " regulations"), ...

, claims, operational and

international law International law (also known as public international law and the law of nations) is the set of rules, norms, and standards generally recognized as binding between states. It establishes normative guidelines and a common conceptual framework for ...

, and litigation involving these issues, and; *acts on other matters as directed by the Secretary of the Navy. The principal deputy to the JAG is the Deputy Judge Advocate General of the Navy.

Nomination and appointment

The Judge Advocate General is nominated for appointment by the

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

with the advice and/or suggestion of the

Secretary of Defense A defence minister or minister of defence is a cabinet official position in charge of a ministry of defense, which regulates the armed forces in sovereign states. The role of a defence minister varies considerably from country to country; in so ...

and the Secretary of the Navy, and must be confirmed via majority vote by the

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

. The Judge Advocate General is appointed to a four-year term of office but they historically serve for three. The Judge Advocate General has also historically been a naval officer, however, statute states that a

Marine Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean. Marine or marines may refer to: Ocean * Maritime (disambiguation) * Marine art * Marine biology * Marine debris * Marine habitats * Marine life * Marine pollution Military ...

officer can be appointed to the position as long as they meet the requirements stated in the section. Previously, the Judge Advocate General was appointed as a two-star

rear admiral Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star " admiral" rank. It is often rega ...

. In 2008, the

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 is a law in the United States signed by President George W. Bush on January 28, 2008. As a bill it was H.R. 4986 in the 110th Congress. The overall purpose of the law is to authorize fundi ...

advanced the position of the Judge Advocate General to a statutory three-star vice admiral or

lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on th ...

.
Pub.L. 110-181: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008
Pub.L. 110-181: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 full text The statutory three-star rank was amended and struck from U.S. law in the

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (; NDAA 2017Pub.L. 114-328 is a United States federal law specifying the budget and expenditures of the United States Department of Defense (DOD) for Fiscal Year 2017. History ''Nation ...

,
Pub.L. 114-328: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 full text however the Navy currently still appoints the JAG to that rank. Other than age and years of military service, there is no other statute of limitations on how many times the JAG can be renominated for appointment to that position if the President so chooses, however the JAG normally serves one term.

List of Judge Advocates General of the Navy

Notes

External links

U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General's Corps
official website {{DEFAULTSORT:Judge Advocate General Of The Navy

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

*Judge

Duties

Nomination and appointment

List of Judge Advocates General of the Navy

See also

Notes

External links