(a)  Subject to § 30-13-17, summary courts-martial have jurisdiction to try persons subject to this code, except officers, for any offense made punishable by this code.

Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 30-13-20

  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.

(b)  No person with respect to whom summary courts-martial have jurisdiction may be brought to trial before a summary court-martial if that person objects thereto, unless under § 30-13-15 he or she has been permitted and has elected to refuse punishment under that section. If objection to trial by summary court-martial is made by an accused who has not been permitted to refuse punishment under § 30-13-15, trial shall be ordered by special or general court-martial, as may be appropriate.

(c)  A summary court-martial may, under such limitations as the governor may prescribe, adjudge any of the following punishments:

(1)  Confinement with hard labor for not more than twenty-five (25) days;

(2)  A fine of not more than twenty-five dollars ($25.00);

(3)  Forfeiture of pay and allowances of not more than twenty-five dollars ($25.00);

(4)  A reprimand;

(5)  Reduction of enlisted persons to a lower grade; or

(6)  Any combination of these punishments.

History of Section.
G.L. 1956, § 30-13-20; P.L. 1962, ch. 82, § 1.