---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 824"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "824"
heading: "Art. 24. Who may convene summary courts-martial"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/824"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part II — Personnel"
  - "Chapter 47 — Uniform Code of Military Justice"
  - "Subchapter V — Composition of Courts-Martial"
---

# §824. Art. 24. Who may convene summary courts-martial

- (a) Summary courts-martial may be convened by—
  - (1) any [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) who may convene a general or special court-martial;
  - (2) the [commanding officer](/usc/10/801.md?p=3) of a detached company, or other detachment of the Army;
  - (3) the [commanding officer](/usc/10/801.md?p=3) of a detached squadron or other detachment of the Air Force or a corresponding unit of the Space Force; or
  - (4) the [commanding officer](/usc/10/801.md?p=3) or [officer in charge](/usc/10/801.md?p=4) of any other command when empowered by the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5).
- (b) When only one [commissioned officer](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-2) is present with a command or detachment he shall be the summary court-martial of that command or detachment and shall hear and determine all summary court-martial cases brought before him. Summary courts-martial may, however, be convened in any case by superior competent authority when considered desirable by him.

## Source credit

(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 45; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title IX, § 924(b)(21)(C), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3824.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 824(a)<br>824(b) | 50:588(a).<br>50:588(b). | May 5, 1950, ch. 169, § 1 (Art. 24), 64 Stat. 116. |

In subsection (a)(4), the words “Secretary concerned” are substituted for the words “Secretary of a Department”.

In subsection (b), the words “only one commissioned” are substituted for the words “but one” for clarity. The word “considered” is substituted for the word “deemed”.

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2021—Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 116–283 inserted “or a corresponding unit of the Space Force” after “Air Force”.