JUDGES |
The judges of the Court sit as a single panel on all cases. Typically,
all five judges participate in each case, but the Court’s rules provide
that a quorum is established by participation of a majority of the active
judges. The Chief Judge also has discretion to call upon a former judge
of the Court who is in senior judge status to sit as a senior judge if an
active judge is unable to participate. If a senior judge is not
available, the Chief Judge may request that the Chief Justice of the
Article 142 of the UCMJ provides that each judge “shall be appointed from civilian life.” To underscore the civilian nature of the Court, the statute provides that a person who has retired from the armed forces after 20 or more years of active service “shall not be considered to be in civilian life.”
The judges are linked to the judges of the Article III courts of appeals for purposes of compensation.
The position of Chief Judge is rotated among the judges to the most senior
judge who has not previously served as Chief Judge. The Chief Judge
serves in that position for five years unless his or her term as a judge expires
sooner. Prior to 1992, the Chief Judge was designated by the President
from among the sitting judges.
Current Judges |
Judicial Oath Taken |
Expiration of Term |
Andrew S. Effron (Chief Judge) |
Aug. 1, 1996 |
Sept. 30, 2011 |
James E. Baker |
Sept. 19, 2000 |
Sept. 30, 2015 |
Charles E. “Chip” Erdmann |
Oct. 15, 2002 |
Sept. 30, 2017 |
Scott W. Stucky |
Dec. 20, 2006 |
Sept. 30, 2021 |
Margaret A. Ryan |
Dec. 20, 2006 |
Sept. 30, 2021 |
Prior Judges |
Active service |
Robert E. Quinn |
June 20, 1951 - April 25, 1975 |
George W. Latimer |
June 20, 1951 - May 1, 1961 |
Paul W. Brosman |
June 20, 1951 - Dec. 21, 1955 |
Homer Ferguson |
April 9, 1957 - May 21, 1976 |
Paul J. Kilday |
Sept. 25, 1961 - Oct. 12, 1968 |
William H. Darden |
Nov. 13, 1968 - Dec. 29, 1973 |
Robert M. Duncan |
Nov. 29, 1971 - July 11, 1974 |
William H. Cook |
Aug. 21, 1974 - June 30, 1984 |
Albert B. Fletcher, Jr. |
April 30, 1975 - Sept. 11, 1985 |
Matthew J. Perry |
Feb. 18, 1976 - Sept. 22, 1979 |
Robinson O. Everett |
April 16, 1980 - Jan. 1, 1992 |
Walter T. Cox III |
Sept. 6, 1984 - Sept. 18, 2000 |
Eugene R. Sullivan |
May 27, 1986 - |
Susan J. Crawford |
Nov. 19, 1991 - Sept. 30, 2006 |
H.F. “Sparky” Gierke |
|
Robert E. Wiss |
|
Chief Judges |
Robert E. Quinn (l95l - l97l) |
William H. Darden (l97l - l973) |
Robert M. Duncan (l973 - l974) |
Albert B. Fletcher, Jr. (l975 - l980) |
Robinson O. Everett (l980 - l990) |
Eugene R. Sullivan (l990 - 1995) |
Walter T. Cox III (1995 - 1999) |
Susan J. Crawford (1999 - 2004) |
H.F. "Sparky" Gierke (2004 -2006) |
Andrew S. Effron (2006 – present) |
Current Senior Judges |
See Article 142(e), UCMJ, 10 U.S.C. ยง 942(e) |
William H. Darden |
Robinson O. Everett |
Walter T. Cox III |
Eugene R. Sullivan |
Susan J. Crawford |
H.F. "Sparky" Gierke |
(Page Updated Dec 22, 2006)