2016 South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 25 - Military, Civil Defense and Veterans Affairs
CHAPTER 1 - MILITARY CODE
Section 25-1-2650. Absent and additional members for courts-martial.

(1) No member of a general or special court-martial may be absent or excused after the court has been assembled for the trial of the accused except for physical disability or as the result of a challenge or by order of the convening authority for good cause.

(2) Whenever a general court-martial, other than a general court-martial composed of a military judge only, is reduced below five members, the trial may not proceed unless the convening authority details new members sufficient in number to provide not less than five members. The trial may proceed with the new members present after the recorded evidence previously introduced before the members of the court has been read to the court in the presence of the military judge, the accused, and counsel for both sides.

(3) Whenever a special court-martial, other than a special court-martial composed of a military judge only, is reduced below three members, the trial may not proceed unless the convening authority details new members sufficient in numbers to provide not less than three members. The trial may proceed with the new members present as if no evidence had previously been introduced at the trial, unless a verbatim record of the evidence previously introduced before the members of the court or a stipulation thereof is read to the court in the presence of the military judge, if any, the accused, and counsel for both sides.

(4) If the military judge of a court-martial composed of a military judge only is unable to proceed with the trial because of physical disability, as a result of a challenge, or for other good cause, the trial shall proceed, subject to any applicable conditions of item (b) of subsection 1 or item (c) of subsection 2 of Section 25-1-2530 after the detail of a new military judge as if no evidence had previously been introduced unless a verbatim record of the evidence previously introduced or a stipulation of the evidence is read in court in the presence of the new military judge, the accused, and counsel for both sides.

HISTORY: Former Section 25-1-2650 [1962 Code Section 44-157; 1964 (53) 2241] recodified as Section 25-1-2520 by 1984 Act No. 378; New Section 25-1-2650 [derived from former Section 25-1-2830 (1950 (46) 1881; 1952 Code Sections 44-183 to 44-187; 1962 Code Section 44-183; 1964 (53) 2241)] En by 1984 Act No. 378, Section 27.