A court-martial trial is often your only real chance to cross-examine accusers, suppress illegally obtained evidence, expose a weak investigation, and argue to the panel. Gonzalez & Waddington stresses that no lawyer can guarantee an outcome, but a general court-martial is high-level litigation—not a place for amateurs. Call 1-800-921-8607. Educational only, not legal advice.
Quick answers
Can I redo a court-martial if my lawyer misses key evidence?
Usually no. After findings, you cannot simply re-run cross-examination or fix a weak trial strategy. The first trial is often your main shot to challenge the government’s case.
Why does experience matter in a general court-martial?
General courts-martial are serious criminal trials. You need counsel who regularly tries hard cases, attacks forensics, and exposes investigative failures—not someone learning on your case.
Watch on YouTube. Questions about a case: call 1-800-921-8607 or text 954-799-4019.
Educational information only. Not legal advice. Using this briefing does not create an attorney-client relationship. Facts, commands, and outcomes vary. For advice about your case, speak with a lawyer.
Video transcript
Transcript of the video “Court-Martial Defense Lawyer: Why Experience Wins or Loses,” with Michael Waddington of Gonzalez & Waddington.
Read the full transcript of this video
Really, your trial is your one opportunity to challenge the evidence and the witnesses. It’s your one opportunity to cross-examine witnesses; one opportunity to suppress illegally obtained evidence; one opportunity to expose a negligent, biased, or half-assed law enforcement investigation, which is very common. You get one opportunity to control the narrative, and one opportunity to give a closing argument to the jury.
So let me be clear about this: there are no guarantees in the system. The best military defense lawyer in the country cannot promise an outcome. But experience matters. Would you let a first-year surgeon operate on your spine? Would you send a soldier straight out of basic training on a mission that Delta Force would usually do? The answer is no. General courts-martial are high-level litigation. Lives are destroyed. You do not want someone in there who is dabbling. You want someone who has tried serious cases year after year after year.
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