A change to Article 66, UCMJ, has created difficulties in interpreting and applying the factual sufficiency standard of review and in deciding whether a charge should be set aside. Note: this change only affects cases where ALL findings of guilt are based on conduct alleged to have been committed before…
Court-Martial Trial Practice Blog
Victim Writ Petitions
In re LB, Misc. Dkt. No. 2025-14 Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals — Decided 19 March 2026 OVERVIEW The AFCCA denied all three prongs of victim LB’s petition for a writ of mandamus, filed under Article 6b(a)(9), UCMJ, arising from the ongoing general court-martial of TSgt Irvin Bryant Jr.…
What the Military Can Actually Silence You For— And What It Cannot
The First Amendment follows you into uniform, but it does not follow you the same way. Service members who do not understand where the line falls often cross it without knowing—and pay with their careers. This informational post is brought to you by Cave & Freeburg, LLP, at court-martial.com. A…
Invoking right to counse-Cave & Freeburg, LLP
United States v. Rivera, NMCCA No. 202400304 (Nov. 13, 2025) Court: Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals Panel: Senior Judge Gross (author), Chief Judge Daly, Judge de Groot Result: Affirmed What Happened On October 14, 2022, Private First Class Nathan Rivera attended a party at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.…
Phone searches – Cave & Freeburg, LLP
United States v. Guinsler — Case Summary, prepared by Phil Cave of Cave & Freeburg, LLP What the Court Decided in Guinsler In January 2026, a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia indicted Army soldier James Isaac Guinsler on four counts of coercion and enticement of a…
When findings of guilty are ambiguous
On March 25, 2026, the United States Army Court of Criminal Appeals issued its decision in United States v. Williams-Clark (ARMY 20230185). The court set aside a sexual assault conviction — one that carried a two-year confinement term — not on the merits, but because the verdict itself was fatally ambiguous. The…
Can you win when the judge errs and the prosecution delays discovery-A lesson from United States v. Jacinto
United States v. Jacinto — Case Analysis U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces | Decided February 2, 2026 What Happened The Navy court-martialed Aviation Structural Mechanic First Class Salvador Jacinto for sexually abusing his minor stepdaughter, E.B. A panel convicted him of rape of a child and three…
When Must a Military Judge Instruct on an Affirmative Defense? Lessons from United States v. Castillo
Published by Cave & Freeburg LLP | Military Justice Defense Attorneys Case Citation: United States v. Castillo, No. ACM 40705 (A.F. Ct. Crim. App. Mar. 11, 2026) | Unpublished A recent Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals decision — United States v. Castillo — raises an important question every military…
United States v. Selleneit, NMCCA No. 202400185 | Decided: 17 March 2026
Overview The Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals (NMCCA) decided United States v. Selleneit on 17 March 2026, affirming the findings and sentence of a general court-martial tried at Naval Station Rota, Spain. Fire Controlman Aegis Petty Officer Second Class (E-5) George B. Selleneit faced charges of sexual assault under…
Acquitted Conduct Sentencing in Military Courts | Cave & Freeburg, LLP
When “Not Guilty” Still Costs You: Acquitted Conduct Sentencing in Military Court-Martial Being found not guilty on a charge should mean something. But in both federal and military courts, a “not guilty” verdict on one count can still drive up the punishment on counts where the jury did convict you.…