Hanscom
Air Force & joint units — Bedford / Lexington area
Active-duty presence in MA
Boston · High-stakes litigation
Military law
Court-martial defense, administrative separation, and Article 15 proceedings for service members—litigated by counsel admitted to the U.S. Court of Military Appeals with international mandate experience.
ConfidentialNo obligation to inquireBoston trial counsel
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Founding partners
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Trusted Boston advocates
Denner Lamanna Military law
Court-martial defense, administrative separation, and Article 15 proceedings for service members—litigated by counsel admitted to the U.S. Court of Military Appeals with international mandate experience. Denner Lamanna represents service members in UCMJ proceedings and administrative actions. Founding partner Jeffrey A. Denner is admitted to the U.S. Court of Military Appeals and has litigated military matters across theaters.
We advocate for you
Trial depth for military law
A court-martial conviction or other-than-honorable discharge can end a military career, strip security clearance, and bar VA benefits for life. Commanders move quickly through NJP, administrative separation, and preferral of charges—and statements to CID, NCIS, or OSI become trial evidence before you understand the forum. The decision to accept Article 15, demand trial, or appeal an administrative board outcome has consequences that civilian counsel often miss. Other-than-honorable and bad-conduct discharges can bar VA health care, GI Bill benefits, and security clearance. Separation boards and show-cause hearings require mitigation packages that address character evidence, service record, and rehabilitation—not just legal arguments. Denner Lamanna follows a disciplined process—Immediate rights counseling: We advise on Article 31 and Fifth Amendment rights before interviews, searches, or command-directed meetings—and assess parallel administrative exposure. Forum & charging strategy: Article 15 acceptance versus court-martial demand, Article 32 preparation, and charging recommendation advocacy before referral. Trial or board advocacy: Court-martial trial under the UCMJ, NJP hearings, or administrative separation boards—with mitigation and character evidence tailored to military panels. Sentencing & clemency: Sentencing advocacy, post-trial clemency, and coordination with clearance and retirement consequences. Military appellate review: Service Courts of Criminal Appeals, Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, BCMR/DRB applications, and discharge upgrade advocacy. Institutional defendants and opposing counsel deploy delay, denial, and resource advantages. Military law matters deserve trial-ready counsel from Boston who builds for courtroom advocacy—not volume docket management.
Important Military justice — key reference points
- Article 15 / NJP Non-judicial punishment—acceptance vs. demanding court-martial is a strategic fork.
- Article 32 Preliminary hearing before general court-martial referral (post-reform procedures apply).
- Administrative separation Character of discharge affects VA benefits, clearance, and retirement.
- Article 31 / Miranda Rights before CID, NCIS, OSI, or command interviews—waivers are difficult to undo.
Military justice moves faster than civilian criminal court. Consult counsel before making statements.
Massachusetts context
The exposure is greater than they are telling you
Massachusetts hosts active-duty installations—and service members deploy globally under command structures civilian courts do not replicate.
Natick
Army Soldier Systems Center
DoD research & acquisition
UCMJ
Uniform Code of Military Justice — worldwide jurisdiction
Courts-martial & NJP
CAAF
Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces
Highest military appellate court
What we pursue
- Rank, career, and retirement consequences
- Discharge characterization and VA benefits
- Confinement and punitive discharge exposure
- Security clearance suspension
- Court-martial and NJP records
- CAAF and BCMR upgrade paths
Past results and statistics vary by case. This is general educational information—not a guarantee of outcome.
Practice scope
What we handle in military law
Denner Lamanna accepts high-stakes military law mandates in Massachusetts state court, federal court in Boston, and appellate forums.
What we handle
- General and special court-martial defense
- Article 15 / NJP counseling and appeals
- Administrative separation boards
- Security clearance and career consequences
- Military appellate review
- Article 32 preliminary hearing strategy
- Article 120 and sexual assault defense under the UCMJ
- Article 15 / NJP counseling and refusal strategy
- Administrative separation and show-cause boards
- Officer elimination and board of inquiry defense
- Security clearance suspension and SOR response
- Command-directed urinalysis and positive test defense
- AWOL, desertion, and absence-related charges
- Military fraud and larceny prosecutions
- Service Courts of Criminal Appeals briefing
- Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces petitions
Common military consequences
- Court-martial
- Article 15 / NJP
- Administrative boards
- Courts-martial worldwide
- U.S. Court of Military Appeals
- General and special court-martial defense
- Article 15 / NJP counseling and appeals
- Administrative separation boards
Discuss your military law confidentially
Delaying counsel can hurt both your position and your case. If you face military law exposure, contact Denner Lamanna for a confidential review.
Important steps
Do not wait. Here is what to do right now.
Taking the right steps early protects your health, your rights, and your record.
Contact us for a confidential review
Tell us what happened. We evaluate deadlines, forums, and preservation needs quickly.
No obligation.
Preserve evidence and documents
Records, communications, and witness information degrade within days or weeks.
Act before narratives harden.
Do not sign or agree without counsel
Waivers, releases, and statements to opposing parties can permanently limit your options.
Early counsel changes leverage.
Why Denner Lamanna
Trial depth for consequential cases
You bring your matter. We bring Massachusetts trial experience, appellate depth, and staffing built for the courtroom.
Trial-ready staffing
Expert and investigator investment from intake—not after negotiations stall.
State, federal & appellate
One team from Boston through Massachusetts courts, Boston federal court, and the First Circuit.
High-stakes focus
Complex criminal, civil rights, injury, family, business, military, and appellate mandates.
Confidential intake
No charge to inquire. Early counsel protects evidence and deadlines.
Court of Military Appeals admission
Founding partner Jeffrey A. Denner is admitted to the U.S. Court of Military Appeals and has defended service members in courts-martial across theaters worldwide.
Integrated UCMJ and administrative practice
NJP, court-martial, separation boards, and clearance proceedings interact. We coordinate strategy so a decision in one forum does not foreclose options in another.
Global availability from Boston
Service members deploy worldwide. We advise before statements are made and appear when and where the UCMJ process requires counsel.
Our process
How we handle military law
A disciplined sequence from first contact through trial or resolution—built for high-stakes Massachusetts and federal litigation.
Immediate rights counseling
We advise on Article 31 and Fifth Amendment rights before interviews, searches, or command-directed meetings—and assess parallel administrative exposure.
Forum & charging strategy
Article 15 acceptance versus court-martial demand, Article 32 preparation, and charging recommendation advocacy before referral.
Trial or board advocacy
Court-martial trial under the UCMJ, NJP hearings, or administrative separation boards—with mitigation and character evidence tailored to military panels.
Sentencing & clemency
Sentencing advocacy, post-trial clemency, and coordination with clearance and retirement consequences.
Military appellate review
Service Courts of Criminal Appeals, Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, BCMR/DRB applications, and discharge upgrade advocacy.
How we help
Counsel at every stage
Court-martial
General and special courts-martial from investigation through sentencing and appeal.
Article 15 / NJP
Non-judicial punishment counseling, mitigation, and strategic decisions about forum.
Administrative boards
Separation, board of inquiry, and other command actions affecting career and benefits.
In depth
Massachusetts military law — what you should know
Educational overview of local law, data, and litigation context—not legal advice for your specific situation.
Court-martial defense from investigation through sentencing
Preferral of charges, Article 32 hearings, and forum selection define exposure before trial begins. Sexual assault, fraud, drug, and absence-related prosecutions arrive with command pressure and media risk that amplify consequences beyond the sentence itself.
Founding partner Jeffrey A. Denner is admitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces and has defended service members in courts-martial across theaters. Civilian trial experience complements detailed UCMJ procedure.
Administrative separation and collateral consequences
Other-than-honorable and bad-conduct discharges can bar VA health care, GI Bill benefits, and security clearance. Separation boards and show-cause hearings require mitigation packages that address character evidence, service record, and rehabilitation—not just legal arguments.
Overview
Boston counsel for military law
Denner Lamanna represents service members in UCMJ proceedings and administrative actions. Founding partner Jeffrey A. Denner is admitted to the U.S. Court of Military Appeals and has litigated military matters across theaters.
Military cases are high-stakes for the service member even when the public never sees a headline—rank, clearance, retirement, and family stability can turn on a single proceeding.
Global reach from Boston
Service members deploy worldwide; counsel must be available to advise before statements are made, evidence is lost, or forum decisions are locked in.
UCMJ counsel who understand command dynamics
Military justice operates inside a command structure that civilian courts do not replicate. Rank, clearance, and career progression depend on outcomes in NJP, administrative boards, and courts-martial—requiring counsel who litigate effectively in both the courtroom and the command environment.
Appellate practice under the Uniform Code of Military Justice
Military appeals follow different courts, standards, and timelines than civilian practice. Denner Lamanna's admission to the U.S. Court of Military Appeals informs trial preservation and briefing before service CCAs and CAAF.
Specialized counsel
Military law practice areas
In-depth resources for specific matters—each staffed for trial and appellate advocacy from our Boston office.
Military law
Court-martial defense
General and special court-martial defense worldwide—UCMJ trials, sentencing, and military appellate review from Boston counsel.
Learn more Military law Article 15 / NJPArticle 15 non-judicial punishment counseling—mitigation, refusal rights, and strategic decisions about military discipline.
Learn more Military law Administrative separationAdministrative separation and board hearings for service members—retention, characterization of discharge, and career preservation.
Learn more Military law Security clearanceSecurity clearance and military career consequence counseling—administrative actions affecting clearance, MOS, and retirement.
Learn more Military law Military appealsMilitary appellate practice—Courts of Criminal Appeals, Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, and post-trial relief under the UCMJ.
Learn more Military law Discharge upgradesMilitary discharge upgrade petitions—DRB, BCMR, and characterization fights affecting VA benefits and civilian employment.
Learn moreOur approach
Defense under the Uniform Code of Military Justice
Military justice moves fast. Rank, clearance, and career consequences require counsel who understand both courtroom procedure and command dynamics.
01Court-martialGeneral and special court-martial defense with trial and sentencing advocacy.
02Administrative actionSeparation boards, NJP, and command-directed investigations.
03Collateral consequencesSecurity clearance, retirement, and veteran-benefit implications.
Client stories
Real clients. Real advocacy.
Representative client feedback. Individual results vary; testimonials do not guarantee similar outcomes.
★★★★★“Jeffrey Denner has taken on an impossible situation for me. Attorney Denner will be there for you 24/7, make certain all is in order, has a phenomenal staff and goes the distance for his clients.”
★★★★★“Jeff handled a case for my wife that wasnt really within the scope of his practice. He, and his associates, litigated her case with the utmost professionalism and kindness ive never encountered with any other lawyer or law firm.”
★★★★★“Jeff was unbelievable in helping me with a serious legal issue I was facing. He was responsive, intelligent, and informative. He clearly explained all of my options in a way that was easy for me to understand.”
★★★★★“Jennifer Lamanna is an outstanding attorney. She is smart, tough, and compassionate—a rare combination in high-stakes family litigation.”
Where we serve
Boston & Massachusetts counsel
Based in Boston, we represent active-duty, reserve, and veteran service members nationwide in UCMJ proceedings—coordinating with commands at Hanscom, Natick, the Coast Guard in Boston, and installations across the country and overseas.
Boston
Boston
Cambridge
Somerville
Medford
Brookline
Newton
Quincy
Worcester
Springfield
Cape Cod
Massachusetts statewide
U.S. District Court — Boston
First Circuit
Forums
Where these cases are litigated
Courts-martial worldwide
U.S. Court of Military Appeals
Administrative separation boards
When to contact us
- CID, NCIS, OSI, or command requested an interview
- You were offered Article 15 / NJP or notified of pending court-martial
- An administrative separation or show-cause board was initiated
- Your security clearance was suspended or revoked
- You need appellate or clemency review after court-martial conviction
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about military law in Massachusetts and federal court.
Should I speak to investigators before hiring counsel?
You have rights—but command and law-enforcement interviews are high-risk. Consult counsel before making statements when possible.
What is the difference between NJP and court-martial?
Non-judicial punishment under Article 15 is an administrative disciplinary process; court-martial is a criminal trial under the UCMJ with greater potential consequences.
Does the firm represent service members outside Massachusetts?
Yes. Military justice matters follow the service member and command—not the firm's Boston home base.
Should I waive my Article 31 rights and speak to investigators?
Waiving rights is dangerous and often irreversible. Consult military counsel before any interview with CID, NCIS, OSI, or command investigators.
Should I accept Article 15 or demand court-martial?
That is a strategic decision depending on evidence, collateral administrative exposure, and potential sentence at court-martial. We advise after reviewing the allegation and command history.
Can a civilian lawyer defend a court-martial?
Yes, with proper credentials and coordination with military defense counsel. Civilian trial and appellate experience complements detailed UCMJ knowledge.
What discharge characterization affects VA benefits?
Other than honorable and bad-conduct/dishonorable discharges can bar or limit VA health care, education benefits, and home loan eligibility—making separation board outcomes life-altering.
Is military appellate review automatic?
Service Courts of Criminal Appeals review is automatic for many convictions; Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces review is discretionary. Deadlines are strict.
Still have questions?
Contact Denner Lamanna for a confidential, no-obligation review.
Explore further
Related resources
See if we can help
Confidential military law intake with Boston trial and appellate counsel. No charge to inquire.
Related guides
- UCMJ Article 15 and Article 32: A General Guide
- Military Administrative Actions: Records, Responses, and Counsel
General information. Speak with counsel about the facts and deadlines in your matter.