Legal Definitions - United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces (USCAAF)

The United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces (USCAAF) is a special court that has the power to review cases involving members of the military who are subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice. This court is responsible for reviewing decisions made by the court of criminal appeals for each branch of the military.

There are three types of cases that the USCAAF has the authority to review:

1. Cases where the sentence, as affirmed by a Court of Criminal Appeals, extends to death
2. Cases that the Judge Advocate General (JAG) orders sent to the USCAAF
3. Cases that the USCAAF has granted a review

If the USCAAF makes a decision, it can be reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Here is an example of a case that the USCAAF might review:

A soldier is accused of committing a crime while on active duty. The case goes to trial, and the soldier is found guilty. The court of criminal appeals for the soldier's branch of the military reviews the case and upholds the guilty verdict. If the soldier's sentence extends to death, the USCAAF would have the authority to review the case and make a decision.

Another example of a case that the USCAAF might review is one where the Judge Advocate General orders the case to be sent to the USCAAF for review. This could happen if there are questions about the legality of a particular aspect of the case.