Iowa Code Title I. State Sovereignty and Management [Chs. 1-38D] § 29B.27. Military judge of a general court-martial

1. The authority convening a general court-martial shall detail a military judge to the court-martial. Subject to rules of the adjutant general, the authority convening a special court-martial may detail a military judge to the court-martial. A military judge shall preside over each open session of the court-martial to which the military judge has been detailed.

2. A military judge must be a commissioned officer of the state armed forces or a retired officer of the reserve components of the armed forces of the United States, a member of the bar of a federal court or a member of the bar of the highest court of the state, and certified to be qualified for the duty by the appropriate staff judge advocate of the state force concerned. The judge advocate responsible for certifying the military judge may recommend to the adjutant general that the adjutant general order to active duty retired personnel of the national guard or the United States armed forces who are qualified to act as military judges.

3. Unless the court-martial was convened by the governor neither the convening authority nor any member of the convening authority's staff shall prepare or review any report concerning the effectiveness, fitness, or efficiency of the military judge so detailed to perform the duties of a military judge. A person is not eligible to act as a military judge in a case if the person is the accuser or a witness for the prosecution or has acted as investigating officer or as a counsel in the same case. The military judge of a court-martial shall not consult with the members of the court except in the presence of the accused, trial counsel, and defense counsel, nor shall the military judge vote with members of the court.