Qualifications for judge advocates

(a) In general Section 806 of title 10, United States Code (article 6 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice) is amended— (1) by redesignating subsections (a) through (d) as subsections (b) through (e), respectively; and (2) by inserting before subsection (b), as redesignated by paragraph (1), the following new subsection: (a) (1) A member of the armed forces may only serve as a judge advocate if such member— (A) is admitted to the practice of law before the highest court of a State, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia; (B) maintains a license status that provides current eligibility to actively practice law before such court; (C) is subject to the disciplinary review process of the jurisdiction in which such member maintains such a license status; and (D) is in compliance with any other requirements of such jurisdiction to remain eligible to practice law in such jurisdiction. (2) The Judge Advocates General of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard and the Staff Judge Advocate to the Commandant of the Marine Corps may suspend the authority of a judge advocate of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, or Marine Corps, respectively, to perform legal duties if such judge advocate becomes noncompliant with the requirements of paragraph (1). A member of the armed forces who is suspended or disbarred from the practice of law within a jurisdiction may not perform legal duties.. (b) Conforming amendments (1) Trial counsel and defense counsel Section 827(b)(1) of title 10, United States Code (article 27(b) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), is amended to read as follows: (1) must be a judge advocate who is qualified under section 806(a)(1) of this title (article 6(a)(1)); and. (2) Special trial counsel Section 824a(b)(1)(A) of title 10, United States Code (article 24a(b)(1) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice) is amended to read as follows: (A) is a judge advocate who is qualified under section 806(a)(1) of this title (article 6(a)(1)); and.