[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 32, Volume 5]
[Revised as of July 1, 2005]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 32CFR719.144]

[Page 205-206]
 
                       TITLE 32--NATIONAL DEFENSE
 
                   CHAPTER VI--DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
 
PART 719_REGULATIONS SUP PLE MENT ING THE MANUAL FOR COURTS-MARTIAL
--Table of Contents
 
                     Subpart E_Miscellaneous Matters
 
Sec. 719.144  Application for relief under 10 U.S.C. 869, in cases 
which have been finally reviewed.

    (a) Statutory provisions. 10 U.S.C. 869 provides in pertinent part, 
``The findings or sentence, or both, in a court-martial case not 
reviewed under subsection (a) or under section 866 of this title 
(article 66) may be modified or set aside, in whole or in part, by the 
Judge Advocate General on the ground of newly discovered evidence, fraud 
on the court, lack of jurisdiction over the accused or the offense, 
error prejudicial to the substantial rights of the accused, or the 
appropriateness of the sentence. If such a case is considered upon 
application of the accused, the application must be filed in the Office 
of the Judge Advocate General by the accused on or before the last day 
of the two-year period beginning on the date the sentence is approved 
under section 860(c) of this title (article 60(c)), unless the accused 
establishes good cause for failure to file within that time.''
    (b) Time Limitations. In order to be considered by the Judge 
Advocate General, an application for relief must be placed in military 
channels if the applicant is on active duty, or be deposited in the mail 
if the applicant is no longer on active duty, on or before the last day 
of the two-year period beginning on the date the sentence is approved by 
the convening authority. An application not filed in compliance with 
these time limits may be considered if the Judge Advocate General 
determines, in his or her sole discretion, that ``good cause'' for 
failure to file within the time limits has been established by the 
applicant.
    (c) Submission procedures. Applications for relief may be submitted 
to the Judge Advocate General by letter. If the accused is on active 
duty, the application shall be submitted via the applicant's commanding 
officer, and the command that convened the court, and the command that 
reviewed the case under 10 U.S.C. 864(a) or (b). If the original record 
of trail is held by the command that reviewed the case under 10 U.S.C. 
864(a) or (b), it shall be forwarded as a enclosure to the endorsement. 
If the original record of trial has been filed in the National Personnel 
Records Center, the endorsement will include all necessary retrieval 
data (accession number, box number, and shelf location) obtained from 
the receipt returned from the National Personnel Records Center to the 
sending activity. This endorsement shall also

[[Page 206]]

include information and specific comment on the grounds for relief 
asserted in the application, and an opinion on the merits of the 
application. If the applicant is no longer on active duty, the 
application may be submitted directly to the Judge Advocate General.
    (d) Contents of applications. All applications for relief shall 
contain:
    (1) Full name of the applicant;
    (2) Social Security number and branch of service, if any;
    (3) Present grade if on active duty or retired, or ``civilian'' or 
``deceased'' as applicable;
    (4) Address at time the application is forwarded;
    (5) Date of trial;
    (6) Place of trial;
    (7) Command title of the organization at which the court-martial was 
convened (convening authority);
    (8) Command title of the officer exercising review authority in 
accordance with 10 U.S.C. 864 over the applicant at the time of trial, 
if applicable;
    (9) Type of court-martial which convicted the applicant, and 
sentence adjudged;
    (10) General grounds for relief which must be one or more of the 
following:
    (i) Newly discovered evidence;
    (ii) Fraud on the court;
    (iii) Lack of jurisdiction over the accused or the offense;
    (iv) Error prejudicial to the substantial rights of the accused;
    (v) Appropriateness of the sentence;
    (11) An elaboration of the specific prejudice resulting from any 
error cited. (Legal authorities to support the applicant's contentions 
may be included, and the format used may take the form of a legal brief 
if the applicant so desires.);
    (12) Any other matter which the applicant desires to submit;
    (13) Relief requested; and
    (14) Facts and circumstances to establish ``good cause'' for a 
failure to file the application within the time limits prescribed in 
paragraph (b) of this section, if applicable; and
    (15) If the application is signed by a person other than the 
applicant pursuant to subsection e, an explanation of the circumstances 
rendering the applicant incapable of making application. The applicant's 
copy of the record of trial will not be forwarded with the application 
for relief, unless specifically requested by the Judge Advocate General.
    (e) Signatures on applications. Unless incapable of making 
application, the applicant shall personally sign the application under 
oath before an official authorized to administer oaths. If the applicant 
is incapable of making application, the application may be signed under 
oath and submitted by the applicant's spouse, next of kin, executor, 
guardian or other person with a proper interest in the matter. In this 
regard, one is considered incapable of making application for purposes 
of this section when unable to sign the application under oath due to 
physical or mental incapacity.

[50 FR 23804, June 6, 1985]