(a) The Governor, on the recommendation of the Adjutant General, shall appoint an officer of the Military Forces of Puerto Rico as Judge Advocate of Puerto Rico. To be eligible for appointment, an officer must be a member of the bar of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico and must have been a member of the Bar Association of Puerto Rico for at least five years.
(b) The Adjutant General may appoint as many Assistant Judge Advocates as he may deem necessary. To be eligible for appointment, Assistant Judge Advocates of Puerto Rico must be officers of the Military Forces of Puerto Rico and members of the bar of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico or of the federal court.
(c) The Judge Advocate of Puerto Rico and his assistants shall make frequent inspections of the units in supervision of the administration of military justice.
(d) Convening authorities shall at all times communicate directly with their staff judge advocates or legal officers in matters relating to the administration of military justice; and the staff judge advocate or legal officer of any command is entitled to communicate directly with the staff judge advocate or legal officer of a superior or subordinate command, or with the Judge Advocate of Puerto Rico.
(e) No person who has acted as member, law officer, trial counsel, assistant trial counsel, defense counsel or assistant defense counsel or investigating officer in any case may later act or intervene as a staff judge advocate or legal officer to any reviewing authority upon the same case.
History —June 23, 1969, No. 62, p. 117, § 404, eff. 90 days after June 23, 1969.