A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the armed forces subject to military law, and, if the defendant is found guilty, to decide upon punishment. ... Finally, courts-martial can be convened for other purposes, such as dealing with violations of martial law, and can involve civilian defendants.

What happens at a court-martial?

In General Courts-Martial, service members face a wide range of punishments, including confinement, reprimand, loss of all pay and allowances, reduction to the lowest enlisted pay grade, a punitive discharge (bad-conduct discharge, dishonorable discharge, or dismissal), restrictions, fines, and, in some cases, capital ...

How serious is a court-martial?

General court-martial. This is the most serious level of military courts. ... It's often characterized as a felony court, and any punishment not prohibited by the UCMJ can be instilled, including dishonorable discharge or the death penalty.