Military Lawyer : Military Defense Attorney : Military Law Attorneys : Zimmermann, Lavine, Zimmermann, & Sampson

Military Law

Military law is the term used to designate the body of case law, statutes, and regulations governing military personnel. Three of our four lawyers are experienced, certified judge advocates (military lawyers) authorized to practice in all military jurisdictions worldwide. All served as prosecutors while on active duty and are thoroughly familiar with the military justice and administrative systems.

Jack B. Zimmermann is a former prosecutor and general court-martial (felony) trial judge in the United States Marine Corps. Mr. Zimmermann served for 14 years on active duty, including duty as the commanding officer of two artillery batteries in combat, where he earned two Bronze Star medals for heroism and the Purple Heart for wounds in action. He served for 16 years as an officer in the Marine Corps Reserve, including duty as the commanding officer of the infantry battalion headquartered in Houston. He retired in 1994 as a colonel, and was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for his final assignment as a felony court-martial judge. Mr. Zimmermann served as lead counsel in the "Border Shooting Case" where two state grand juries and one federal grand jury refused to indict the active-duty Marine who returned fire, killing the man who fired on his patrol. Mr. Zimmermann was lead counsel in defense of a Marine aviator charged with twenty-seven specifications of orders violations. All charges were dismissed after the Article 32 hearing. He served as lead counsel for the Marine who was charged with negligent homicide for the death of an Iraqi prisoner, and was successful in getting all charges dismissed after a six day Article 32 hearing. Mr. Zimmermann was lead counsel in the court-martial of an Army surgeon, who was cleared of 19 specifications of distribution of controlled substances, obstruction of justice, false official statement, and orders violations. The military jury deliberated for 45 minutes. He also was lead counsel for an Army Special Forces officer, who was acquitted of rape and indecent acts.`

Mr. Zimmermann was lead counsel representing LCpl Stephen Tatum, USMC, who originally was charged with the murder of Iraqi civilians during a counter-attack in response to an ambush in Haditha, Iraq. Click here for a description of the Article 32 Investigation hearing featured in the Texas Lawyer. All charges were dismissed with prejudice on the first day of trial in this case that had drawn international media attention.

Terri Zimmermann is a former prosecutor and chief of the Civil Law and Review sections at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California, for which she was awarded the Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal. Ms. Zimmermann is a Lieutenant Colonel in the Marine Corps Reserve, who for approximately ten years served as an appellate defense counsel in Washington, D.C. She was co-counsel with Mr. Zimmermann in the "Border Shooting Case." Ms. Zimmermann was lead counsel in the defense of an Army soldier accused of raping his ex-wife. She was successful in obtaining a dismissal at trial after a motion to suppress was granted. Ms. Zimmermann has handled many applications to the various Boards for Correction of Military Records.

Ms. Zimmermann was co-counsel with Mr. Zimmermann and Mr. Sampson representing LCpl Stephen Tatum, USMC, who originally was charged with the murder of Iraqi civilians during a counter-attack in response to an ambush in Haditha, Iraq. Click here for a description of the Article 32 Investigation hearing featured in the Texas Lawyer. All charges were dismissed with prejudice on the first day of trial in this case that had drawn international media attention.

Kyle R. Sampson is a former prosecutor and chief of the Legal Assistance Office at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California, for which he was awarded the Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal. He was co-counsel in the case involving the death of the Iraqi prisoner. He also served as co-counsel with Mr. Zimmermann in the investigation of a Marine Corps pilot charged with twenty-seven specifications of criminal conduct under the UCMJ. All charges were dismissed after an exhaustive Article 32 hearing. Mr. Sampson served as lead counsel in the re-trial of a rape case, where a Navy sailor was acquitted after receiving a prison sentence when represented by a different counsel at the first trial. He also was lead counsel in the trial of a Marine recruiter acquitted of disobeying a direct order, dereliction of duty, and making a false official statement. He was co-counsel in the court-martial of an Army surgeon, who was cleared of 19 specifications of distribution of controlled substances, obstruction of justice, false official statement, and orders violations. The military jury deliberated for 45 minutes. Mr. Sampson was also co-conunsel in the trial of an Army Special Forces officer, who was acquitted of rape and indecent acts.

Mr. Sampson was co-counsel with Mr. Zimmermann and Ms. Zimmermann representing LCpl Stephen Tatum, USMC, who originally was charged with the murder of Iraqi civilians during a counter-attack in response to an ambush in Haditha, Iraq. Click here for a description of the Article 32 Investigation hearing featured in the Texas Lawyer. All charges were dismissed with prejudice on the first day of trial in this case that had drawn international media attention.

We represent clients at all phases of the military justice system. We advise service members pending nonjudicial punishment under Article 15, UCMJ (Captain's Mast, Office Hours). We also fully investigate and try courts-martial, which are military trials, usually as lead counsel with the assigned military lawyer as co-counsel, at the client's option. We have experience representing clients at general courts-martial (felony courts), special courts-martial (misdemeanor courts), and summary courts-martial (a unique military court), as well as pretrial investigations under Article 32, UCMJ.

Below are examples of some of the UCMJ offenses we have handled, but the list is not exhaustive.

Adultery

Aggravated assault

Arson

Assault

Attempts

Bad checks

Burglary

Computer crimes

Conduct unbecoming

Conspiracy

Cruelty and maltreatment

Dereliction of duty

Drunken or reckless operation of a vehicle

Drug offenses (possession, use, manufacture, distribution)

Failure to obey order or regulation

False official statement

Fraternization

Fraud

Indecent assault

Involuntary manslaughter

Larceny/li>

Murder

Negligent homicide

Orders violations

Possession of illegal pornography

Rape

Reckless endangerment

Sexual assault

Sodomy

Unauthorized absence (UA) / absent without leave (AWOL)

Finally, we represent servicemembers who have been convicted at a court-martial in their appeals before the various appellate courts: Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals, Army Court of Criminal Appeals, Coast Guard Court of Criminal Appeals, Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals, and the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces (CAAF) (formerly Court of Military Appeals, or COMA).

We are experienced in representing servicemembers in administrative matters as well, including administrative and medical separation processing, promotion and non-selection for promotion issues, officer misconduct, discharge upgrading, security clearance matters, and we submit application packages for the correction of military records to the various service bodies such as the Air Force Board for Correction of Military Records (AFBCMR), Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR), Board for Correction of Naval Records (BCNR), and the Discharge Review Boards (DRB). We do not, however, handle matters pertaining to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

For further information about the military defense attorneys at Zimmermann, Lavine, Zimmermann, & Sampson, please contact us today. To learn more about our significant cases please click here. For immediate assistance call us in Houston, Texas at 713-552-0300.

Jack B. Zimmermann, Jim E. Lavine, Terri R. Zimmermann, and Kyle R. Sampson are certified in criminal law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. This web site is designed for general information only. The information presented at this site should not be construed to be formal legal advice nor the formation of a lawyer/client relationship. Persons accessing this site are encouraged to seek independent counsel for advice regarding their individual legal issues.

770 S. Post Oak Lane, Suite 620 Houston, Texas 77056 Office: (713) 552-0300 Fax: (713) 552-0746 Email Us	Military Law Military law is the term used to designate the body of case law, statutes, and regulations governing military personnel. Three of our four lawyers are experienced, certified judge advocates (military lawyers) authorized to practice in all military jurisdictions worldwide. All served as prosecutors while on active duty and are thoroughly familiar with the military justice and administrative systems. Jack B. Zimmermann is a former prosecutor and general court-martial (felony) trial judge in the United States Marine Corps. Mr. Zimmermann served for 14 years on active duty, including duty as the commanding officer of two artillery batteries in combat, where he earned two Bronze Star medals for heroism and the Purple Heart for wounds in action. He served for 16 years as an officer in the Marine Corps Reserve, including duty as the commanding officer of the infantry battalion headquartered in Houston. He retired in 1994 as a colonel, and was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for his final assignment as a felony court-martial judge. Mr. Zimmermann served as lead counsel in the "Border Shooting Case" where two state grand juries and one federal grand jury refused to indict the active-duty Marine who returned fire, killing the man who fired on his patrol. Mr. Zimmermann was lead counsel in defense of a Marine aviator charged with twenty-seven specifications of orders violations. All charges were dismissed after the Article 32 hearing. He served as lead counsel for the Marine who was charged with negligent homicide for the death of an Iraqi prisoner, and was successful in getting all charges dismissed after a six day Article 32 hearing. Mr. Zimmermann was lead counsel in the court-martial of an Army surgeon, who was cleared of 19 specifications of distribution of controlled substances, obstruction of justice, false official statement, and orders violations. The military jury deliberated for 45 minutes. He also was lead counsel for an Army Special Forces officer, who was acquitted of rape and indecent acts.` Mr. Zimmermann was lead counsel representing LCpl Stephen Tatum, USMC, who originally was charged with the murder of Iraqi civilians during a counter-attack in response to an ambush in Haditha, Iraq. Click here for a description of the Article 32 Investigation hearing featured in the Texas Lawyer. All charges were dismissed with prejudice on the first day of trial in this case that had drawn international media attention. Terri Zimmermann is a former prosecutor and chief of the Civil Law and Review sections at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California, for which she was awarded the Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal. Ms. Zimmermann is a Lieutenant Colonel in the Marine Corps Reserve, who for approximately ten years served as an appellate defense counsel in Washington, D.C. She was co-counsel with Mr. Zimmermann in the "Border Shooting Case." Ms. Zimmermann was lead counsel in the defense of an Army soldier accused of raping his ex-wife. She was successful in obtaining a dismissal at trial after a motion to suppress was granted. Ms. Zimmermann has handled many applications to the various Boards for Correction of Military Records. Ms. Zimmermann was co-counsel with Mr. Zimmermann and Mr. Sampson representing LCpl Stephen Tatum, USMC, who originally was charged with the murder of Iraqi civilians during a counter-attack in response to an ambush in Haditha, Iraq. Click here for a description of the Article 32 Investigation hearing featured in the Texas Lawyer. All charges were dismissed with prejudice on the first day of trial in this case that had drawn international media attention. Kyle R. Sampson is a former prosecutor and chief of the Legal Assistance Office at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California, for which he was awarded the Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal. He was co-counsel in the case involving the death of the Iraqi prisoner. He also served as co-counsel with Mr. Zimmermann in the investigation of a Marine Corps pilot charged with twenty-seven specifications of criminal conduct under the UCMJ. All charges were dismissed after an exhaustive Article 32 hearing. Mr. Sampson served as lead counsel in the re-trial of a rape case, where a Navy sailor was acquitted after receiving a prison sentence when represented by a different counsel at the first trial. He also was lead counsel in the trial of a Marine recruiter acquitted of disobeying a direct order, dereliction of duty, and making a false official statement. He was co-counsel in the court-martial of an Army surgeon, who was cleared of 19 specifications of distribution of controlled substances, obstruction of justice, false official statement, and orders violations. The military jury deliberated for 45 minutes. Mr. Sampson was also co-conunsel in the trial of an Army Special Forces officer, who was acquitted of rape and indecent acts. Mr. Sampson was co-counsel with Mr. Zimmermann and Ms. Zimmermann representing LCpl Stephen Tatum, USMC, who originally was charged with the murder of Iraqi civilians during a counter-attack in response to an ambush in Haditha, Iraq. Click here for a description of the Article 32 Investigation hearing featured in the Texas Lawyer. All charges were dismissed with prejudice on the first day of trial in this case that had drawn international media attention. We represent clients at all phases of the military justice system. We advise service members pending nonjudicial punishment under Article 15, UCMJ (Captain's Mast, Office Hours). We also fully investigate and try courts-martial, which are military trials, usually as lead counsel with the assigned military lawyer as co-counsel, at the client's option. We have experience representing clients at general courts-martial (felony courts), special courts-martial (misdemeanor courts), and summary courts-martial (a unique military court), as well as pretrial investigations under Article 32, UCMJ. Below are examples of some of the UCMJ offenses we have handled, but the list is not exhaustive. Adultery Aggravated assault Arson Assault Attempts Bad checks Burglary Computer crimes Conduct unbecoming Conspiracy Cruelty and maltreatment Dereliction of duty Drunken or reckless operation of a vehicle Drug offenses (possession, use, manufacture, distribution) Failure to obey order or regulation False official statement Fraternization Fraud Indecent assault Involuntary manslaughter Larceny/li> Murder Negligent homicide Orders violations Possession of illegal pornography Rape Reckless endangerment Sexual assault Sodomy Unauthorized absence (UA) / absent without leave (AWOL) Finally, we represent servicemembers who have been convicted at a court-martial in their appeals before the various appellate courts: Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals, Army Court of Criminal Appeals, Coast Guard Court of Criminal Appeals, Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals, and the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces (CAAF) (formerly Court of Military Appeals, or COMA). We are experienced in representing servicemembers in administrative matters as well, including administrative and medical separation processing, promotion and non-selection for promotion issues, officer misconduct, discharge upgrading, security clearance matters, and we submit application packages for the correction of military records to the various service bodies such as the Air Force Board for Correction of Military Records (AFBCMR), Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR), Board for Correction of Naval Records (BCNR), and the Discharge Review Boards (DRB). We do not, however, handle matters pertaining to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). For further information about the military defense attorneys at Zimmermann, Lavine, Zimmermann, & Sampson, please contact us today. To learn more about our significant cases please click here. For immediate assistance call us in Houston, Texas at 713-552-0300.