Court Martial Bailiff experiences?

It was an interesting experience and gave me exposure and insight to the military court system I otherwise would never have known. As SSG Laurie Mullen stated, you work for the presiding judge. Not the attorneys. Not the Prosecutor, nor the Defense. If the accused is someone you know or even a member of your unit, I would strongly urge you to remain as neutral as possible. DO NOT SPEAK TO ANYONE REGARDING ANY MATTERS OF THE CASE BEFORE THE COURT!!! Bad things happen when even a hint of improper activity may have occurred. Hopefully the judge or someone from the legal office will be there to give you pointers and tips on what is accepted and what is not.

The judge that presided over the case I was Bailiff for was more than willing to answer any questions I had, patiently explained what she expected of me (in regards to actions and procedures), and had some great off-line conversation during meal breaks. With luck, your experience will be as rewarding as mine.

I was the bailiff for a former friend's court martial in Germany in '93. You will need to remain as neutral as possible. You work for the judge, not the lawyers or anyone from your unit. Remain professional at ALL times, not only will there be Officers, NCOs, and soldiers from the defendant's and victim's unit, but the media may be there too. You will have a chance to take a break when the judge and jury do. When you are on break do NOT talk about the case or offer any opinions about how the case is going. If you have any questions there will be someone there that you can ask. You will receiving a briefing when you report for your bailiff duty.

The trial was only two days so I didn't have to worry about my uniform too much. If the trial you are going to be a part of has the potential to last longer it wouldn't hurt to have another complete dress uniform set up as a back up. You are going to have long days and you won't want to spend the time pressing pants and shirts. If the jacket gets dirty you'll want another one to change into quickly.

If you have anymore questions please feel free to ask to me, just keep in mind that I only pulled this duty once and it was a long time ago. Good luck!