Section 5924.42 | Oaths.
(A) Before performing their respective duties, military judges, interpreters, members of general and special courts-martial, the trial counsel, the assistant trial counsel, the defense counsel, the assistant defense counsel, and reporters shall take an oath or affirmation to perform their duties faithfully. The oath or affirmation shall be taken in the presence of the accused and shall be substantially as follows:
(1) For a member of the court:
"You, __________, do swear (or affirm) that you will faithfully perform all the duties incumbent upon you as a member of this court; that you will faithfully and impartially try, according to the evidence, your conscience, and the laws and regulations provided for trials by courts-martial, the case of (the) (each) accused now before this court; and that if any doubt should arise not explained by the laws and regulations, then according to the best of your understanding and the customs of the service in like cases; that you will not divulge the findings or sentence in any case until they shall have been duly announced by the court; and that you will not disclose or discover the vote or opinion of any particular member of the court upon a challenge or upon the findings or sentence unless required to do so before a court of justice in due course of law. So help you God (or under penalty of perjury)."
(2) For a military judge:
"You, __________, do swear (or affirm) that you will faithfully and impartially perform, according to your conscience and the laws and regulations provided for trials by courts-martial, all the duties incumbent upon you as military judge of this court; that if any doubt should arise not explained by the laws and regulations, then according to the best of your understanding and the customs of the service in like cases; and that you will not divulge the findings or sentence in any case until they shall have been duly announced by the court. So help you God (or under penalty of perjury)."
(3) For trial counsel and assistant trial counsel:
"You, __________, do swear (or affirm) that you will faithfully perform the duties of trial counsel and will not divulge the findings or sentence of the court to any but the proper authority until they shall be duly disclosed. So help you God (or under penalty of perjury)."
(4) For defense counsel and assistant defense counsel:
"You, __________, do swear (or affirm) that you will faithfully perform the duties of defense counsel and will not divulge the findings or sentence of the court to any but the proper authority until they shall be duly disclosed. So help you God (or under penalty of perjury)."
(5) For a reporter or interpreter:
"You, ___________, do swear (or affirm) that you will faithfully perform the duties of reporter (or interpreter) to this court. So help you God (or under penalty of perjury)."
(B) Each witness before a court-martial shall be examined on oath or affirmation. The presiding officer shall administer an oath or affirmation in substantially the following form:
"You, __________, do swear (or affirm) that the evidence you shall give in the case now in hearing shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. So help you God (or under penalty of perjury)."
Available Versions of this Section
- September 28, 2012 – House Bill 490 - 129th General Assembly [ View September 28, 2012 Version ]