interpreted to mean the detailed counsel named in the convening order. The term individual counsel refers to the military counsel selected by the accused or the civilian counsel provided by the accused at his/her own expense. The trial counsel and defense counsel detailed for a general court-martial must have equivalent legal qualifications. Each must be a judge advocate of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps who is a graduate of an accredited law school or is a member of the bar of a federal court or of the highest court of a state. Each must be certified as competent to perform such duties by the Judge Advocate General of the armed forces of which he/she is a member. A civilian counsel must be a member of the bar of a federal court or of the highest court of a state. In  a  special  court-martial,  the  accused  must  be afforded the opportunity to be represented by counsel qualified under article 27, UCMJ, unless such counsel cannot  be  obtained  because  of  the  geographical location or pressing military requirements. If qualified defense counsel cannot be obtained, the court may be convened and the trial held. The convening authority makes  a  written  statement  that  states  why  qualified counsel cannot be obtained. The following conditions must be met: If the detailed trial counsel or any assistant trial counsel  is  qualified  to  act  as  counsel  before  a general court-martial, the defense counsel must be a qualified person; and If the detailed trial counsel or any assistant trial counsel is a judge advocate or a member of the bar  of  a  federal  court  or  the  highest  court  of  a state,  the  defense  counsel  detailed  by  the convening   authority   must   be   one   of   the foregoing. Art. 31. Compulsory Self-Incrimination Prohibited Article  31  explains  your  rights  not  to  provide evidence  against  yourself  (self-incrimination),  a  right given to all citizens under the Fifth Amendment to the U.S.  Constitution.  The  following  statements  explain your rights against self-incrimination: You cannot be forced to answer questions or give evidence that may help to prove your guilt. You  must  be  told  the  nature  of  the  offense  of which you are accused; that you do not have to make any statement; and that if you do, it can be used against you. You cannot be forced to make a statement or give evidence in a trial that is not related to the case or that may degrade you. No  statement  obtained  from  you  by  threats  or trickery   can   be   used   against   you   in   a court-martial trial. Art. 37. Unlawfully Influencing Action of Court (a)   No  authority  convening  a  general, special,  or  summary  court-martial,  nor  any other  commanding  officer,  may  censure, reprimand,  or  admonish  the  court  or  any member,  military  judge,  or  counsel  thereof, with  respect  to  the  findings  or  sentence adjudged by the court, or with respect to any other  exercise  of  its  or  his  functions  in  the conduct of the proceedings. No person subject to this chapter may attempt to coerce or, by any unauthorized means, influence the action of a court-martial or any other military tribunal or any member thereof, in reaching the findings or sentence  in  any  case,  or  the  action  of  any convening,  approving,  or  reviewing  authority with respect to his judicial acts. Article 37 is designed to ensure that every court, its members, and its officers are completely free to fulfill their functions without fear of reprisal. Art. 38. Duties of Trial Counsel and Defense Counsel The  trial  counsel  prosecutes  in  the  name  of  the United  States  and,  under  the  direction  of  the  court, prepares  the  record  of  proceedings.  The  duties  of  the trial  counsel  might  be  compared  to  those  of  a  civil district attorney. The prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable  doubt  the  guilt  of  the  accused  for  each offense  charged.  Of  course,  such  burden  of  proof  is 2-19 Student Notes: