Ortiz v. United States

This case came from a court-martial (military criminal trial) conviction and asked whether Judge Martin Mitchell could legally serve on two military courts at the same time. On June 22, 2018, the Supreme Court decided that issue and also addressed whether it could review decisions from the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces.

The case affects service members who appeal convictions through the military justice system and judges who may be assigned to more than one military court. For example, a defendant could challenge whether the judges on an appellate panel were lawfully serving.

This Supreme Court case is over. Lower military courts and future parties must apply the decision issued in 2018.

The case asked whether Judge Martin Mitchell could legally serve on two military courts at the same time. It also asked whether the Supreme Court could review decisions from the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces.

It affects people appealing court-martial convictions through the military system. If a judge's dual service was unlawful, a defendant could question the makeup of the appeals panel.

The Supreme Court has finished this docket action. Lower military courts and future litigants must work within the decision the Court issued in 2018.