§ 818. Art. 18. Jurisdiction of general courts-martial

Subject to section 817 of this title (article 17), general courts-martial have jurisdiction to try persons subject to this chapter for any offense made punishable by this chapter and may, under such limitations as the President may prescribe, adjudge any punishment not forbidden by this chapter, including the penalty of death when specifically authorized by this chapter. General courts-martial also have jurisdiction to try any person who by the law of war is subject to trial by a military tribunal and may adjudge any punishment permitted by the law of war. However, a general court-martial of the kind specified in section 816(1)(B) of this title (article 16(1)(B)) shall not have jurisdiction to try any person for any offense for which the death penalty may be adjudged unless the case has been previously referred to trial as a noncapital case.

(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 43; Pub. L. 90–632, § 2(4), Oct. 24, 1968, 82 Stat. 1335; Pub. L. 113–66, div. A, title XVII, § 1705(b), Dec. 26, 2013, 127 Stat. 959.)

Amendments

Amendment of Section

Pub. L. 113–66, div. A, title XVII, § 1705(b), (c), Dec. 26, 2013, 127 Stat. 959, 960, provided that, effective 180 days after Dec. 26, 2013, and applicable to offenses specified in section 856(b)(2) of this title committed on or after that date, this section is amended:

(1) by inserting “(a)” before the first sentence;

(2) in the third sentence, by striking “However, a general court-martial” and inserting the following: “(b) A general court-martial”; and

(3) by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(c) Consistent with sections 819, 820, and 856(b) of this title (articles 19, 20, and 56(b)), only general courts-martial have jurisdiction over an offense specified in section 856(b)(2) of this title (article 56(b)(2)).

See 2013 Amendment note below.

Historical And Revision

Historical and Revision Notes
Revised section	Source (U.S. Code)	Source (Statutes at Large)
818	50:578.	May 5, 1950, ch. 169, § 1 (Art. 18), 64 Stat. 114.

The word “shall” is omitted as surplusage wherever it occurs.

Amendments

Amendments

2013—Pub. L. 113–66 designated the first two sentences as subsec. (a), designated third sentence as subsec. (b) and substituted “A general court-martial” for “However, a general court-martial”, and added subsec. (c).

1968—Pub. L. 90–632 provided that a general court-martial consisting of only a military judge has no jurisdiction in cases in which the death penalty may be adjudged unless the case has been previously referred to trial as a noncapital case.

Effective Date Of Amendment

Effective Date of 2013 Amendment

Pub. L. 113–66, div. A, title XVII, § 1705(c), Dec. 26, 2013, 127 Stat. 960, provided that: “The amendments made by this section [amending this section and section 856 of this title] shall take effect 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 26, 2013], and apply to offenses specified in section 856(b)(2) of title 10, United States Code (article 56(b)(2) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), as added by subsection (a)(1), committed on or after that date.”

Effective Date of 1968 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 90–632 effective first day of tenth month following October 1968, see section 4 of Pub. L. 90–632, set out as a note under section 801 of this title.