Punitive Articles of the UCMJ | Bilecki Law Group

The Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) is the U.S. military’s legal canon. It establishes laws that you must abide by if you are a service member in any one of the branches of the armed forces. Altogether, the UCMJ contains over 100 unique punitive offenses, each with its potential maximum sentence and some with a mandatory minimum sentence.

The Manual for Courts-Martial is the official handbook of the UCMJ. It describes the elements required to convict a service member of an offense, as well as a range of possible sentencing options if a soldier is convicted. The manual is freely available online for service members.

How Many Articles Exist Under the UCMJ?

There are 146 articles in the U.C.M.J, along with 12 sub-articles, bringing the number to 158. Not all of these articles are punitive. Some define legal concepts and review jurisdictions and have nothing to do with an offense. Some, such as Article 77, define who may or may not be held criminally liable as a principal of a particular crime. There are 61 punitive articles within the UCMJ: Articles 77 to 134.