Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 398 § 398.012 — Judge

Judge advocates. (1) The Governor, on the recommendation of the Adjutant General, shall appoint an officer of the organized militia as State Judge Advocate. To be eligible for appointment as State Judge Advocate, an officer must: (a) Be a licensee in good standing of the Oregon State Bar; (b) Have been a licensee of the Oregon State Bar for at least five years; and (c) Meet the qualifications for a judge advocate under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 U.S.C. 801 et seq. (2) The Adjutant General may appoint an officer of the organized militia as an Assistant State Judge Advocate. The Adjutant General may appoint as many Assistant State Judge Advocates as the Adjutant General deems necessary. To be eligible for appointment as an Assistant State Judge Advocate, an officer must: (a) Be a licensee in good standing of the Oregon State Bar; and (b) Meet the qualifications for a judge advocate under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 U.S.C. 801 et seq. (3)(a) The Adjutant General may appoint members of the organized militia who are licensees in good standing of the Oregon State Bar as temporary Assistant State Judge Advocates. An individual appointed as a temporary Assistant State Judge Advocate has 12 months from the date of appointment to meet the qualifications for a judge advocate under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 U.S.C. 801 et seq. (b) A temporary Assistant State Judge Advocate who has met the requirements under this subsection is eligible for appointment as an Assistant State Judge Advocate. (c) The Adjutant General may extend, for an additional 12 months, the time during which a temporary Assistant State Judge Advocate must meet the qualifications described in paragraph (a) of this subsection. (4) The State Judge Advocate, the senior Army or Air Force judge advocate in the organized militia or their assistants shall make frequent inspections in the field for supervision of the administration of military justice and general military legal matters. (5)(a) Convening authorities shall at all times communicate directly with their judge advocate in matters relating to the administration of military justice and general military legal matters. (b) The judge advocate of any command may communicate directly with the judge advocate of a superior or subordinate command, the State Judge Advocate or the senior Army or Air Force judge advocate in the organized militia. (6) A person who has acted as licensee, military judge, 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 not later act as judge advocate to any reviewing authority upon the same case. (7) A judicial officer, as defined by ORS 1.210, is not prohibited, by reason of holding that office, from: (a) Performing all acts necessary or incumbent to the authorized exercise of duties as a judge advocate. (b) Being assigned as a judge advocate by the Adjutant General as appointed by the Governor as Commander in Chief under the Oregon Constitution. [1961 c.454 §83; 1975 c.719 §3; 1993 c.483 §1; 2005 c.512 §7; 2009 c.345 §1; 2013 c.81 §7; 2017 c.472 §6; 2017 c.532 §11; 2023 c.121 §1; 2025 c.32 §105]