The Judge Advocate General (JAG) of the
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is the Armed forces, military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia and its national interests. It consists of three branches: the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army and the Royal Aus ...
(ADF) is an office established under the ''Defence Force Discipline Act'' (1982). This position is held by a
judge
A judge is a person who wiktionary:preside, presides over court proceedings, either alone or as a part of a judicial panel. In an adversarial system, the judge hears all the witnesses and any other Evidence (law), evidence presented by the barris ...
or former judge of a
federal court or a
state supreme court
In the United States, a state supreme court (known by other names in some states) is the highest court in the state judiciary of a U.S. state. On matters of state law, the judgment of a state supreme court is considered final and binding in ...
. The appointment of the JAG is made by the
Governor-General-in-Council. The JAG has the authority to establish procedural rules for tribunals operating within the
Navy
A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the military branch, branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral z ...
,
Army
An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...
, and
Air Force
An air force in the broadest sense is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army aviati ...
. They also conduct the final legal review of proceedings within the ADF and play a role in the appointment of judge advocates, Defence Force magistrates, presidents, and members of
courts martial
A court-martial (plural ''courts-martial'' or ''courts martial'', as "martial" is a postpositive adjective) is a military court or a trial conducted in such a court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the arme ...
, as well as legal officers for various purposes. Additionally, the JAG is responsible for reporting on the operation of laws concerning the discipline of the ADF.
The current Judge Advocate General is
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a flag officer rank used by English-speaking navies. In most European navies, the equivalent rank is called counter admiral.
Rear admiral is usually immediately senior to commodore and immediately below vice admiral. It is ...
the Hon Jack Rush AO
RFD KC RAN.
The JAG is assisted by three deputy judge advocates general (DJAG), one for each service:
* DJAG – Navy
* DJAG – Army
* DJAG – Air Force
The current Deputy Judge Advocates General are:
* Navy:
Commodore
Commodore may refer to:
Ranks
* Commodore (rank), a naval rank
** Commodore (Royal Navy), in the United Kingdom
** Commodore (India), in India
** Commodore (United States)
** Commodore (Canada)
** Commodore (Finland)
** Commodore (Germany) or ' ...
James Renwick AM CSC SC
* Army:
Brigadier
Brigadier ( ) is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore (rank), commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several t ...
Judge Paul E. Smith AM
* Air Force: Air Commodore the Hon Justice Melissa Perry
List of Judge Advocates General
The following individuals have been appointed as Judge Advocate General of the Australian Defence Force:
See also
*
Judge Advocate General
*
Military Court of Australia
References
External links
*
Legal occupations in the military
Australian military law
Military appointments of Australia
Judiciary of Australia
Military justice
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