United States Marine Corps (USMC)

Officer Job Descriptions

MOS 4402, Judge Advocate (I)

a. Summary. Judge advocates perform legal service support for Marine, Navy, and Joint commands and organizations. As company grade officers, judge advocates may serve as litigators, investigators, reviewing officers, advisors, and advocates. Litigation opportunities exist as trial and defense counsel in courts-martial, recorders and respondent's counsel in administrative discharge boards and special assistants to the local United States Attorney. Judge advocates may investigate claims for and against the United States, criminal charges, and other matters required by regulations. They may advise a wide range of personnel, from general officer to civilian employees, on matters including military justice, administrative law, standards of conduct, ethics, operational law, and international law. Some company grade judge advocates will deploy as staff judge advocates for Marine Expeditionary Units, Special Purpose Marine Air/Ground Task Forces, and Joint Task Forces. Legal assistance attorneys represent and advise retired service members as well as active duty personnel and their family members on a variety of personal legal matters. These matters typically include wills and estates, commercial contracts, landlord/tenant problems, and family law questions. As majors, judge advocates often supervise company grade judge advocates at law centers and legal service support sections or perform duties as labor, procurement, or environmental law specialists at East and West Coast and Pacific area counsel offices. Other majors, and some lieutenant colonels, serve as military judges and as principal assistants to staff judge advocates assigned to advise officers exercising general court-martial convening authority. Lieutenant colonels may also serve as staff judge advocates or officers-in-charge of law centers or legal service support sections. Professional military education and continuing legal education opportunities exist for all judge advocates.

b. Requirements/Prerequisites

(1) This MOS will be assigned as a primary MOS to an officer on active duty who has:

(a) Obtained a juris doctor or bachelor of laws degree from an American Bar Association accredited law school, completed the Accession Lawyer Course at the Naval Justice School, Newport, RI; and is a member in good standing of a federal bar, or of the highest court of a state or the District of Columbia.

(b) Been certified by the Judge Advocate General of the Navy in accordance with Article 27(b) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice to serve as a trial or defense counsel in courts-martial.

(2) This MOS may be assigned to officers in the ready reserve who are certified as judge advocates by the Judge Advocate General of the Navy. Officers in the ready reserve interested in requesting the 4402 MOS, as a primary or secondary MOS, should contact CMC (Code JAS) for additional information regarding certification criteria.


c. Duties. For a complete listing of duties and tasks, refer to MCO 1510.51, Individual Training Standards.

d. Related DOT Classification/DOT Code

(1) Lawyer 110.107-010.

(2) Judge 111.107-010.