(Washington, DC) - Rep. Gary L. Ackerman (D-Queens/L.I.) today sponsored the Equal Justice for Our Military Act of 2007, which will allow court-martialed service members whose cases involve “extraordinary circumstances” to appeal to the Supreme Court. 

“Service members are currently denied the right to appeal to the Supreme Court in almost all circumstances.  This legislation is only the beginning of a legislative process to rectify the due process disparity caused by current law,” said Ackerman.

The proposed legislation will allow convicted service members to appeal to the Supreme Court in cases where their petitions for review by the Court of Appeals for the Armed Services (CAAF) has been denied, as well as in cases where the CAAF has denied an extraordinary writ or writ-appeal.  This broader remedial approach would provide service members with due process access to discretionary Supreme Court review similar to that which is permitted the government. 

The Equal Justice for Our Military Act has been endorsed by The American Bar Association, the Military Officers Association of America and the National Institute for Military Justice, as well as several former CAAF justices.

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