2011 Oregon Revised Statutes
ORS Volume 10, Chapters 366 - 430
ORS Chapter 398
398.012 Judge advocates; legal assistants.

(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 member in good standing of the Oregon State Bar;

(b) Have been a member 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.

(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 member in good standing of the Oregon State Bar; and

(b) Meet the qualifications for a judge advocate under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

(3)(a) The Adjutant General may appoint temporary Assistant State Judge Advocates who are officers of the organized militia. An individual appointed as a temporary Assistant State Judge Advocate has 12 months from the date of appointment to become a member in good standing of the Oregon State Bar and meet the qualifications for a judge advocate under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

(b) The legal services performed by a temporary Assistant State Judge Advocate are limited to those legal services that may be performed by legal assistants consistent with ORS 9.160.

(c) A temporary Assistant State Judge Advocate who has met the requirements under this subsection is eligible for appointment as an Assistant State Judge Advocate.

(d) 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 Adjutant General may appoint State Judge Advocate Legal Assistants for a period not to exceed 12 months. An individual appointed as a State Judge Advocate Legal Assistant shall be an officer of the Oregon State Defense Force and shall be legally trained but is not required to be admitted to the practice of law by the Supreme Court of this state. The legal services performed by a State Judge Advocate Legal Assistant are limited to those legal services that may be performed by legal assistants consistent with ORS 9.160.

(5) The State Judge Advocate, the Senior Force Judge Advocate, as defined in the Oregon Code of Military Justice (2008), or their assistants shall make frequent inspections in the field for supervision of the administration of military justice and general military legal matters.

(6)(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, or with the State Judge Advocate or the Senior Force Judge Advocate, as defined in the Oregon Code of Military Justice (2008).

(7) A person who has acted as member, 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.

(8) 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 or as a member of the Military Council.

(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]