(1) The governor, on the recommendation of the adjutant general, shall appoint a judge advocate officer of the army or air national guard as state judge advocate. To be eligible for appointment, an officer must be a member of the bar of the highest court of the state and must have been a member of the bar of the state for at least five years.

     (2) The adjutant general may appoint as many assistant state judge advocates as he or she considers necessary. To be eligible for appointment, assistant state judge advocates must be officers of the organized militia and members of the bar of the highest court of the state.

     (3) The state judge advocate or assistants shall make frequent inspections in the field in supervision of the administration of military justice.

     (4) Convening authorities shall at all times communicate directly with their staff judge advocates in matters relating to the administration of military justice; and the staff judge advocate of any command is entitled to communicate directly with the staff judge advocate of a superior or subordinate command, or with the state judge advocate.

     (5) No person who has acted as member, law officer, trial counsel, assistant trial counsel, defense counsel, assistant defense counsel, or investigating officer, or who has been a witness for either the prosecution or defense, in any case may later act as staff judge advocate to any reviewing authority upon the same case.

     (6) No judge advocate may be assigned nonlegal duties unless authorized by the state judge advocate.

[2009 c 378 § 5; 1989 c 48 § 6; 1963 c 220 § 6.]