Does a military attorney have authority to represent clients in appellate military courts?

Yes, military attorneys assigned to appellate defense divisions represent service members in appeals before military appellate courts such as the Army Court of Criminal Appeals, Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals, or the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces (CAAF). They review trial records, identify legal errors, draft appellate briefs, and argue cases before appellate judges. Their goal is to overturn wrongful convictions, reduce excessive sentences, or correct legal mistakes made during trial. These attorneys have specialized training in appellate advocacy and constitutional law. However, not all trial defense counsel serve in appellate roles—those who do are typically part of a designated appellate defense team within each service’s Judge Advocate General’s Corps.

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