Gale Encyclopedia of American Law Volume 6 P8 fully illuminates today's leading cases, major statutes, legal terms and concepts, notable persons involved with the law, important documents and more. Legal issues are fully discussed in easy-to-understand language, including such high-profile topics as the Americans with Disabilities Act, capital punishment, domestic violence, gay and lesbian rights, physician-assisted suicide and thousands more. | 58 JUDGMENT respective service and in some cases to the secretary of the department. The public has been given a look at judge advocates through film and television. For example the movie A Few Good Men 1992 portrays judge advocates as prosecutors for military crimes. However the duties of a judge advocate extend far beyond the military courtroom. Since the 1970s judge advocates have played a key role in the planning of military strategy for top-secret missions and other wartime issues. Further judge advocates along with commanding officers of the armed services take part in the development and application of rules of engagement which guide . troops in their use of force. One of the most important rules that involve judge advocates is target planning. When deciding whether something is a proper target a judge advocate must first determine that it is a military necessity for the enemy. If it passes the first test the judge advocate must investigate whether civilians will be affected. Finally judge advocates must perform a balancing test. The possible loss of civilians and their property often referred to as collateral damage cannot be excessive as compared to the military gain achieved by the attacks. Judge advocates also identify targets that are off-limits. In these wartime contexts target selection clearly becomes a life-or-death decision. During the Vietnam war only one judge advocate was called upon by the . Air Force to give operations law advice. Major Walter Reed who would later become judge advocate general of the . Air Force advised which targets were restricted by the military s rules of engagement and the Law of War the codified laws created by the Hague Convention in 1907 to which most nations adhere. However in 1972 Air Force General John D. Lavelle attacked targets in North Vietnam and thus violated the rules of engagement. Lavelle claimed that his superiors had supported the attacks and that the targets had been included in the rules of .
