In a special or general court-martial, how many of the court members must an enlisted member request to be enlisted?

An enlisted member in a special or general court-martial must request that at least one-third of the court members be enlisted personnel. This requirement ensures that the court has representation from enlisted ranks, allowing for a more equitable and representative judiciary. The inclusion of enlisted members serves to provide perspectives and experiences relevant to the enlisted corps, which can be particularly important in cases involving enlisted personnel.

The general rule for court composition is that a court-martial typically consists of a mix of officers and enlisted members, thereby allowing for fair deliberation on the case. By having one-third of the members be from the enlisted ranks, the enlisted perspective can influence the judgment and decision-making of the court.

Overall, this practice promotes fairness and ensures that the composition of the court reflects the demographics of the military, enhancing the integrity of the process.