Marines


MCB Camp Pendleton
MCB Pendleton Seal

WESTERN JUDICAL CIRCUIT

Navy-Marine Corps Trial Judiciary
The Navy-Marine Corps Trial Judiciary is a unified trial judiciary composed of active duty and reserve military judges (and their support personnel) of the Navy and the Marine Corps who preside over courts-martial conducted worldwide. In doing so, we provide crucial support to commanders in ensuring the maintenance of good order and discipline within our operating forces, while always guaranteeing due process and fundamental fairness for every court-martial accused. Our duty and highest calling is to ensure the complete and absolute professionalism, fairness, and integrity of our military justice system.

Western Judicial Circuit
The Western Judicial Circuit (WJC) currently has four (4) active duty Navy and Marine Corps military judges and is one of ten trial circuits that make up the Navy-Marine Corps Trial Judiciary. The WJC is headed by the Circuit Military Judge who is located at Camp Pendleton, CA and is responsible to the Chief Trial Judge of the Navy-Marine Corps Trial Judiciary for docketing and detailing military judges to preside over courts-martial arising within the WJC area of responsibility.

Practice Information
The Circuit Military Judge has delegated to the Docketing Judge, subject to review, the authority to docket all Navy and Marine Corps courts-martial convened within the WJC. Accordingly, the Docketing Judge and the Clerk of Court for the WJC are the administrative points of contact for all cases arising within the WJC. The Docketing Judge and the Clerk of Court for the WJC are located at Camp Pendleton, CA, and may be reached at the following:

Western Judicial Circuit:
ATTN: Docketing Judge and/or Clerk of Court
Box 555023
Bldg. 22161
Camp Pendleton, CA 92055-5023
Phone (760) 725-6273
Fax (760) 725-6339
DSN 365-xxxx

All counsel, military and civilian, appearing before courts-martial within the WJC are required to follow: the Uniform Rules of Practice Before Navy and Marine Corps Courts-Martial (Uniform Rules); the WJC Rules of Court (WJC Circuit Rules); and, JAGINST 5803.1E (Professional Conduct of Attorneys Practicing Under the Cognizance and Supervision of the Judge Advocate General). Civilian counsel are required to file a notice of appearance immediately after being retained. A Notice of Appearance may be downloaded here and faxed to the Clerk of Court for the WJC.

Weekly Docket
The weekly docket promulgates the next week's court schedule for the WJC. In the normal course of docketing, every Friday the Trial Services Offices (TSOs) that practice within the WJC submit their docket requests to the Circuit Military Judge, via the Docketing Judge and the Clerk of Court, for consolidation, review, and approval. The Circuit Military Judge, in his discretion, details specific military judges to specific cases.

Once approved, the consolidated WJC docket is normally published every Monday for the following week's court schedule. Once the WJC docket is published, changes may be made only with the approval of the Circuit Military Judge, the Docketing Judge, or the military judge assigned to a specific case.

Public or media inquiries pertaining to a case should be directed to the appropriate Communication Strategy & Operations Office (COMMSTRAT) or Public Affairs Office (PAO) listed below:

MCI-West/MCB Camp Pendleton: (760) 763-2760 - email: pendletonmedia@usmc.mil
I Marine Expeditionary Force: (760) 763-7047 - email: imefcommstrat@usmc.mil
 1st Marine Division:  (760) 725-1129/5528 - email: 1stMarDiv_CommstratSupport@usmc.mil
 1st Marine Logistics Group (760) 763-0755
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing  (858) 577-7843 - email:
3rdmawmedia@usmc.mil
MCRD, San Diego: (619) 524-8724/8720
MCAS, Miramar: (858) 577-6000
MCAGCC, Twenty Nine Palms: (760) 830-3760
MCAS, Yuma: (928) 269-3612/2275
Naval Base San Diego: (619) 532-1430 or (619) 556-7359
Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton: (360) 627-4031/4030 


Online Resources: 
Navy-Marine Corps Trial Judiciary
Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals
Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces
Navy Judge Advocate General
SJA to CMC

Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton