Court Opinion

ID: 9426340
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-02 23:17:36.734843+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:23:00.345508
License: Public Domain

Mr. Justice Powell,
with whom Mr. Justice Blackmun joins, concurring.
As I agree with the substance and holding of the Court’s opinion, I join it. I write separately to emphasize the factor which, in my view, distinguishes this case from Argersinger v. Hamlin, 407 U. S. 25 (1972). One sentence expresses the fundamental basis for the distinction:
“This Court has long recognized that the military is, by necessity, a specialized society separate from civilian society.” Parker v. Levy, 417 U. S. 733, 743 (1974).
In Parker, the Court went on to say that we also have recognized that “the military has, again by necessity, developed laws and traditions of its own during its long history.” Ibid. Only last Term in Schlesinger v. Councilman, 420 U. S. 738, 757 (1975), we said:
“The laws and traditions governing [military] discipline have a long history; . . . they are founded on unique military exigencies as powerful now as in the past. Their contemporary vitality repeatedly has been recognized by Congress.”
The Constitution expressly authorized the Congress to “make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces.” Art. I, § 8. Court-martial proceedings, as a primary means for the regulation and discipline of the Armed Forces, were well known to the Founding Fathers. The procedures in such courts were *50never deemed analogous to, or required to conform with, procedures in civilian courts. One must ignore history, tradition, and practice for two centuries to read into the Constitution, at this late date, a requirement for counsel in the discipline of minor violations of military law.1
I recognize, of course, that one’s constitutional rights are not surrendered upon entering the Armed Services. But the rights are applied, as this Court often has held, in light of the “unique military exigencies” that necessarily govern many aspects of military service. See Parker v. Levy, supra, at 758. In recognition of this, since the founding of the Republic Congress has enacted special legislation applicable only to the Armed Services,2 including the current provisions in the Uniform Code of *51Military Justice for summary courts-martial. Art. 16 (3), UCMJ, 10 U. S. C. § 816 (3).
I find no basis for holding now that the Constitution compels the equating, for purposes of requiring that counsel be provided, of military summary courts with civilian criminal courts.

 As noted in the Court’s opinion, the relatively petty offenses that customarily come before summary courts-martial most often involve military offenses unknown in civilian society. In this case, for example, most of the plaintiffs were charged only with “unauthorized absence.” To be sure, such courts also try some offenses that would be violations of civilian criminal law. But these are typically petty offenses and are committed by defendants subject to military discipline. The Court has no occasion in this case to address whether the Constitution requires the providing of counsel in special and general court-martial proceedings where serious, civil felonies are often charged. Indeed, all of the Armed Services now are required by statute to provide counsel in such cases. Art. 27, UCMJ, 10 U. S. C. § 827.

 In Schlesinger v. Councilman, referring to the Uniform Code, the Court said:
“Congress attempted to balance these military necessities [governing discipline] against the equally significant interest of ensuring fairness to servicemen charged with military offenses, and to formulate a mechanism by which these often competing interests can be adjusted. As a result, Congress created an integrated system of military courts and review procedures . . . .” 420 U. S. 738, 757-758 (1975).