Military/Courts Martial

3PB has a long history of representing and defending serving officers, men and women in the different service tribunals and members of chambers maintain close links with all three Services and the Ministry of Defence. A number of members of chambers have military backgrounds having formally served within the Armed Forces. Barristers from 3PB regularly appear in the different Court Martial Centres (“CMCs”), The Court Martial Appeal Court, Military Inquests and Service Inquiries, the Summary Appeal Court and the Service Civilian Court. across the whole range of military and civilian offences – including allegations of torture, murder, attempted murder, rape, fraud, serious violence and drug offences. We have appeared in CMCs abroad, Court Martials established on operations, and CMCs in the UK. Chambers also acts for family members of service personnel.

Both Queen’s Counsel and barristers from 3PB have acted for members of all three Services Members of chambers have enjoyed significant success in representing service personnel and associated civilians.

Members of chambers are routinely involved in proceedings from an early stage, and are often instructed at the ‘pre-charge’ stage and we have success in making written representations to the Service Prosecuting Authority resulting in proceedings being discontinued against the suspects at this early stage. We can also draft representations to the Armed Forces Criminal Legal Aid Authority (AFCLAA) to secure funding for expert witnesses and professional litigators.

Recently, with changes in the way barristers can accept instructions directly from members of the public, members of chambers have been instructed directly through a dedicated page (‘Public Access’) on this website. This has meant that Service personnel have instructed members of chambers in respect of Service Complaints in written submission before single Service Boards.

Barristers from 3PB are also frequently involved in Inquests arising from military matters and act for and represent parties to a Board of Inquiry. It is inevitably advantageous to instruct counsel early prior to a Inquest or Inquiry being heard.