Military attorneys represent those who are actively enlisted in the military, as well as individuals who remain in the military reserves and retired military veterans. Often, a military lawyer comes from a military background, and thus, he or she has a working knowledge of military procedures.
Though not all military cases involve a court-martial claim, they often involve some form of criminal charges. Some of the most common military criminal charges brought involve sex offenses, assault claims, drug crimes, desertion, fraud, and cases that involve a threat to national security. Other common military cases involve requests for discharge from active duty, releases of military records, and the proper treatment of prisoners.