(717) 612-4840
Worldwide Military Legal Defense – Fighting Criminal Charges if You Are on Active Duty
The Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) is a complex set of laws and regulations. A conviction for a UCMJ violation can put you in prison and ruin your future. If you’re accused of a UCMJ violation while on active duty, you must contact the right military defense attorney.
That attorney is R. Davis Younts. Few lawyers have his extensive background in both military and civilian courts. Attorney R. Davis Younts has been a prosecutor as well as a defense lawyer, so he has considerable experience on both sides of the courtroom.
Court-Martial Defense
Anyone who is accused of a crime under the UCMJ may face a court-martial. Courts-martial are trials for service members who have been accused of committing a crime as set forth in the UCMJ’s Punitive Articles. Courts-martial follow the procedures and rules used in federal courts.
Article 32 of the UCMJ permits a pre-court-martial investigation to determine if there is probable cause to prosecute a suspect for a crime. If a court-martial is conducted, and if the defendant is convicted, he or she may face serious penalties. Those penalties may include:
- incarceration
- loss of pay and benefits
- reduction of rank or dishonorable discharge
- loss of the right to own a firearm
- registration as a sex offender (for sex crime convictions)
Military defense lawyer R. Davis Younts represents service members who are charged with crimes that include (but are not limited to) sex crimes, drug crimes, thefts, crimes of violence including domestic violence, desertion, mutiny, being drunk on duty, and insubordination.
Court-Martial Appeals
Attorney R. Davis Younts also defends clients in court-martial appeals. Some courts-martial are appealed automatically, but you have the right to appeal any conviction under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
To prevail with the appeal of a court-martial conviction, your military defense lawyer will need to show that a specific legal or procedural error in the court-martial adversely affected the outcome.
Appeals can be based on errors that include procedural violations, abuse of authority, factual errors, mistakes while collecting evidence, and failures in the interpretation and application of the UCMJ.
Article 15 Defense
Attorney R. Davis Younts also represents clients who are the subject of adverse administrative actions under UCMJ Article 15, including adverse performance reviews and officer evaluation reports, denials or revocations of promotions, letters of reprimand, loss of pay, and discharges.
Article 15 lets a commander impose a “nonjudicial” punishment without a trial. Just like a court-martial, you can be penalized under Article 15 without regard to when or where you allegedly committed a violation – even if you were off-duty and out of uniform.
You have the right to “decline” a penalty under Article 15. If you do, that gives your commander several options. He or she can dismiss the allegations or give you a warning, but a commander may also initiate a court-martial or an administrative discharge proceeding.
If you are notified of an Article 15 action against you, contact attorney R. Davis Younts at once. Article 15 is complicated, and a court-martial conviction linked to an Article 15 action can trigger penalties more severe than the original nonjudicial punishment.
Extensive Experience and Outstanding Credentials
As a JAG officer, attorney R. Davis Younts has served as a prosecutor, defense attorney, command legal advisor, and as a senior legal advisor to deployed commanders and general officers.
He has handled over one hundred courts-martial and has served as the Chief of the Military Justice Division at the Air Force JAG School. He combines the skills of an award-winning trial lawyer with his military background to offer aggressive and effective criminal defense.
R. Davis Younts has been an attorney for eighteen years. He is now a full-time defense lawyer representing the accused in state and federal civilian courts as well as military courts. He is the recipient of an Air Force Meritorious Service Medal and an Air Force Commendation Medal.
Here’s How to Contact Attorney R. Davis Younts
If you’re an active duty service member and you are being investigated regarding a crime, court-martialed, or penalized under Article 15, R. Davis Younts will explain your rights and how the process works. He will offer a vigorous defense and bring the case to its best possible outcome.
R. Davis Younts represents service members around the country as well as overseas. If you belong to the military, your rights and duties are different from a civilian’s, and different rules apply. It is imperative to be defended by a lawyer who fully understands these different rules.
To learn more, or to obtain legal help and advice right now, contact military defense attorney R. Davis Younts at (717) 612-4840. His offices are located at 26 North Ninth Street in Lemoyne, Pennsylvania. He is ready to help active duty service members and to work on your behalf.
