Courts-Martial Appellate Panel.

Existing law provides that the military courts of this state are general courts-martial, special courts-martial, summary courts-martial, and courts of inquiry. Existing law provides that general, special, and summary courts-martial have the power to try and adjudge specified members of the military. The authority to adjudge includes specified types of punishment. Under existing law, the keepers or warden of any jail are required to receive the bodies of persons committed by a military court and confine them, as specified. This bill would establish the Courts-Martial Appellate Panel. The panel would consist of 3 justices to be appointed by the Governor. The bill would require a justice to sit on the panel for a 4-year term or until his or her resignation. The bill would authorize the panel to be convened by the President of the United States, the Governor, or the Adjutant General. Under the bill, the panel would have power over the issuance of extraordinary writs relative to specified matters and adjudicating appeals of sentences of a court-martial. The bill would require precedential decisions of the Courts-Martial Appellate Panel to be posted in a conspicuous place. Because the establishment of a military court imposes new responsibilities on a local agency jail, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.