10 U.S.C. § 845 (ARMED FORCES)
§ 845. Art. 45. Pleas of the accused
(a) If an accused after arraignment makes an irregular pleading, or after a plea of guilty sets up matter inconsistent with the plea, or if it appears that he has entered the plea of guilty improvidently or through lack of understanding of its meaning and effect, or if he fails or refuses to plead, a plea of not guilty shall be entered in the record, and the court shall proceed as though he had pleaded not guilty.
(b) A plea of guilty by the accused may not be received to any charge or specification alleging an offense for which the death penalty may be adjudged. With respect to any other charge or specification to which a plea of guilty has been made by the accused and accepted by the military judge or by a court-martial without a military judge, a finding of guilty of the charge or specification may, if permitted by regulations of the Secretary concerned, be entered immediately without vote. This finding shall constitute the finding of the court unless the plea of guilty is withdrawn prior to announcement of the sentence, in which event the proceedings shall continue as though the accused had pleaded not guilty.
(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 52; Pub. L. 90–632, § 2(19), Oct. 24, 1968, 82 Stat. 1339; Pub. L. 114–328, div. E, title LVII, § 5227, Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2911.)
heading: Amendment of Section
text: Pub. L. 114–328, div. E, title LVII, § 5227, title LXIII, § 5542, Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2911, 2967, made amendments to this section effective on the date designated by the President, not later than the first day of the first calendar month beginning two years after Dec. 23, 2016, with implementing regulations prescribed by the President not later than one year after Dec. 23, 2016, and with provisions relating to applicability to various situations. After such effective date, this section will read as follows:
§ 845. Art. 45. Pleas of the accused
(a) Irregular and Similar Pleas.—If an accused after arraignment makes an irregular pleading, or after a plea of guilty sets up matter inconsistent with the plea, or if it appears that he has entered the plea of guilty improvidently or through lack of understanding of its meaning and effect, or if he fails or refuses to plead, a plea of not guilty shall be entered in the record, and the court shall proceed as though he had pleaded not guilty.
(b) Pleas of Guilty.—A plea of guilty by the accused may not be received to any charge or specification alleging an offense for which the death penalty is mandatory. With respect to any other charge or specification to which a plea of guilty has been made by the accused and accepted by the military judge, a finding of guilty of the charge or specification may be entered immediately without vote. This finding shall constitute the finding of the court unless the plea of guilty is withdrawn prior to announcement of the sentence, in which event the proceedings shall continue as though the accused had pleaded not guilty.
(c) Harmless Error.—A variance from the requirements of this article is harmless error if the variance does not materially prejudice the substantial rights of the accused.
See 2016 Amendment notes below.
text: Historical and Revision Notes
Revised section
Source (U.S. Code)
Source (Statutes at Large)
845(a)
845(b)
50:620(a).
50:620(b).
May 5, 1950, ch. 169, § 1 (Art. 45), 64 Stat. 122.
In subsection (b), the word “may” is substituted for the word “shall”.
heading: Amendments
text: 2016—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 114–328, § 5227(c)(1), inserted heading.
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 114–328, § 5227(c)(2), inserted heading.
Pub. L. 114–328, § 5227(a), substituted “is mandatory” for “may be adjudged” and struck out “or by a court-martial without a military judge” after “by the military judge” and “, if permitted by regulations of the Secretary concerned,” after “charge or specification may”.
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 114–328, § 5227(b), added subsec. (c).
1968—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 90–632, § 2(19)(A), substituted “after arraignment” for “arraigned before a court-martial”.
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 90–632, § 2(19)(B), inserted provisions covering the making and accepting of a guilty plea to charges or specifications other than charges and specifications alleging an offense for which the death penalty may be adjudged.
heading: Effective Date of 2016 Amendment
text: Amendment by Pub. L. 114–328 effective on the date designated by the President, not later than the first day of the first calendar month beginning two years after Dec. 23, 2016, with implementing regulations prescribed by the President not later than one year after Dec. 23, 2016, and with provisions relating to applicability to various situations, see section 5542 of Pub. L. 114–328, set out as a note under section 801 of this title.
heading: Effective Date of 1968 Amendment
text: Amendment by Pub. L. 90–632 effective first day of tenth month following October 1968, see section 4 of Pub. L. 90–632, set out as a note under section 801 of this title.