Judge Advocate General (United Kingdom)
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- This page is about the British Judge Advocate General. For the U.S. Judge Advocate General's Corps, see Judge Advocate General's Corps.
The Judge Advocate General and Judge Martial of all the Forces is a civilian, with at least 10 years legal experience as a barrister or advocate, or Vice Judge Advocate General, or an assistant Judge Advocate General, and is responsible for judicial functions in the British Army and Royal Air Force. He is the legal adviser of the Sovereign and of the commander-in-chief in military cases, and by his authority all general courts-martial are held. In his office are deposited the originals of all such proceedings, and on his receipt of them they are examined, and either deposited as correct, or communicated upon, or submitted by the Judge Advocate General to Her Majesty for royal approval, or for pardon, or revision, as, in the opinion of this officer, the case may require.
He is assisted by civilians who are his permanent staff. There is a total of ten, comprising one Vice Judge Advocate General (must be a barrister or advocate of seven years standing, or a deputy judge advocate), 6 Assistant Judge Advocates General (must be a barrister or advocate of seven years standing, or a deputy judge advocate), 2 Deputy Judge Advocates (must be a barrister or advocate of five years standing).
These provide advice to accused and prosecution, and sum up the evidence for the Court. Defendants are entitled to a defending officer, and to civilian counsel if they so wish. The British Army and the RAF have similar arrangements, and the same Judge Advocate General. In the 1990s significant changes to the courts martial system were instigated following European Court of Human Rights judgements.
The Director of Army Legal Services, a major-general, advises the army on all legal matters. His staff are officers of the Army Legal Services Branch of the Adjutant-General's Corps. They number 110, including 20 short service captains. There are ten in the Territorial Army.
The head of the RAF Legal Branch, is an Air Vice Marshal, who advises the RAF on all legal matters. His staff are officers of the Legal Branch. They number around 40 including 10 Flight Lieutenants.
The office has been for many years a political one, the holder resigning on a change of ministry. The Judge Advocate General was made subordinate to the Lord Chancellor, and since 1951 has been appointed on his recommendation.
[edit] Judge Advocates General
Down to 1847 the dates are those of actual entrance upon office, not of the appointment, which is usually a few days earlier; or of the patent, commonly some days later than those adopted in this list. After 1847 the dates are those of the Gazette notices of the appointment.
- January 1666: Dr Samuel Barrowe
- 1684: George Clarke
- 1705: Thomas Byde
- 1715: Edward Hughes
- 1734: Sir Henry Hoghton, 5th Baronet
- 1741: Thomas Morgan
- 1768: Charles Gould (knighted 1779; created a baronet and assumed the name of Morgan 1792)
- 8 March 1806: Nathaniel Bond
- 4 December 1807: Richard Ryder
- 8 November 1809: Charles Manners-Sutton
- 25 June 1817: John Beckett (succeeded as 2nd Baronet 1826)
- 12 May 1827: James Abercromby
- 2 February 1828: Sir John Beckett, 2nd Baronet
- 2 December 1830: Robert Grant (knighted 1834)
- 7 July 1834: Robert Cutlar Fergusson
- 22 December 1834: Sir John Beckett, 2nd Baronet
- 25 April 1835: Robert Cutlar Fergusson
- 6 November 1838: William St Julien Arabin
- 21 February 1839: Sir George Grey, 2nd Baronet
- 26 June 1841: Richard Lalor Sheil
- 14 September 1841: John Nicholl
- 31 January 1846: James Stuart Wortley
- 14 July 1846: Charles Buller
- 30 December 1847: William Goodenough Hayter
- 26 May 1849: Sir David Dundas
- 28 February 1852: George Bankes
- 30 December 1852: The Hon. Charles Pelham Villiers
- 13 March 1858: John Mowbray
- 24 June 1859: Thomas Emerson Headlam
- 12 July 1866: John Mowbray
- 16 December 1868: Sir Colman Michael O'Loghlen
- 28 December 1870: John Robert Davison
- 17 May 1871: Sir Robert Joseph Phillimore (held the office pending a rearrangement of its duties)
- 21 August 1873: Acton Smee Ayrton
- 7 March 1874: Stephen Cave
- 24 November 1875: George Cavendish-Bentinck
- 7 May 1880: George Osborne Morgan
- 13 July 1885: William Thackeray Marriott
- 22 February 1886: John William Mellor
- 9 August 1886: William Thackeray Marriott
- Rt Hon Sir Francis Jeune, KCB 1892–1904
- William Milvain appointed August 1905
- Sir Felix Cassel, 1915–1934
- Colonel Sir Henry MacGreagh, GCVO KCB KBE TD QC 1934–1955
- Captain Sir Frederick Gentle, MA Cambridge QC1955–1962
- Wing-Commander Sir Oliver Barnett, CBE QC 1963–1968
- Wing-Commander Brian Duncan, CB CBE MA Cambridge QC 1968–1972
- Squadron Leader Harold Dean, CB LLM Manchester QC 1972–1979
- Major John Morgan-Owen, CB MBE BA Oxford QC1979–1984
- James Stuart-Smith, CB QC 1984–1991
- JW Rant, CB QC 1991–2004
- Judge Jeff Blackett 2004–present
Includes material from: Haydn's Book of Dignities, 12th ed. (1894; reprinted 1969)
[edit] India
In India, the post of JAG is held by a Major General who is the legal and judicial chief of the Army. The Indian Army has a separate JAG branch which consists of legally qualified army officers. Officers can either be commissioned directly into the JAG Branch or can be side-stepped from other branches / arms / corps. JAG officers advise the presiding officers of court-martials on military law, besides providing legal help to the military in all aspects.
[edit] See also
United States
Canada
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