1999 Amendments to the Manual for Courts-Martial, United States
Amends Military Court Rules for Child Testimony and Privileges
What it does
The order amends the Manual for Courts-Martial to change military judge rules, child testimony procedures, psychotherapist privilege, sentencing, and adds reckless endangerment.
Real-world impact
- Allows child victims or witnesses to testify by remote video with safeguards.
- Creates a psychotherapist-patient confidentiality privilege for military cases, but with exceptions.
- Adds reckless endangerment as a punishable offense and expands aggravating evidence.
Topics
Summary
This executive order amends the Manual for Courts-Martial to change military trial rules. It revises who may serve as military judges, allows children to testify remotely under set procedures, creates a psychotherapist-patient privilege for military cases with several exceptions, and adds a reckless endangerment offense.
The changes take effect November 1, 1999, with limits: some rules apply only to cases arraigned, communications, or offenses occurring on or after that date. Military legal personnel, service members, child witnesses, and mental health providers are most directly affected.
Questions, answered
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- “What agencies are affected by this order?”
- “How does this order change existing policy?”
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