Campbell Law Library: Military & Veterans' Law: Primary Sources

Below is a list of federal statutes that deal with military law and veterans' affairs.

Title 10: Armed Forces
Title 10 of the United States Code covers the Armed Forces, including general military law.
Title 14: Coast Guard
Title 14 of the United States Code covers the Coast Guard.
Title 32: National Guard
Title 32 of the United States Code covers the National Guard.
Title 38: Veterans Benefits
Title 38 of the United States Code covers Veterans Benefits.
Title 50: War and National Defense
Title 50 of the United States Code covers war and national defense.

Uniform Code of Military Justice

The Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) serves as the legal framework for maintaining discipline, order, and standards of conduct within the U.S. Armed Forces. It outlines both the offenses that can be committed and the procedures for investigating, prosecuting, and punishing those offenses. It has been codified at 10 U.S.C. §§ 801-946a.

Uniform Code of Military Justice

Where to find the United States Code:

Office of the Law Revision Counsel (House of Representatives)
GovInfo: United States Code
Legal Information Institute (LII): United States Code
Lexis: United States Code Service
Available only to Campbell Law faculty and students. Username and password required.
Westlaw: United States Code Annotated
Available only to Campbell Law faculty and students. Username and password required.

Below is a list of federal regulations that deal with military law and veterans' affairs.

Title 32: National Defense
Title 32 of the Code of Federal Regulations covers national defense, including the Department of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
Title 38: Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans Relief
Title 38 of the Code of Federal Regulations covers veteran pensions, bonuses, and relief.

Where to find Federal Regulations:

Federal Register

Both proposed and final regulations are first published in the Federal Register before they are codified into the Code of Federal Regulations. The Federal Register is the official journal of the federal government of the United States that contains government agency rules, proposed rules, and public notices. It is published every weekday, except on federal holidays.

Federal Register (National Archives)
Federal Register (GovInfo)
HeinOnline: Federal Register Library
Available only to Campbell Law faculty and students. Username and password required.
Lexis: Federal Register
Available only to Campbell Law faculty and students. Username and password required.
Regulations.gov
Westlaw: Federal Register
Access available only to Campbell Law faculty and students. Username and password required.

Code of Federal Regulations

The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) is the codification of the general and permanent rules published in the Federal Register by the departments and agencies of the Federal Government. It is divided into 50 titles. Each title is divided into chapters, which are further subdivided into parts that cover specific regulatory areas. Parts are organized into sections, and most citations to the CFR refer to information at the section level.

Code of Federal Regulations Annual Edition (GovInfo)
eCFR (National Archives)
HeinOnline Code of Federal Regulations
Available only to Campbell Law faculty and students. Username and password required.
Lexis: CFR
Available only to Campbell Law faculty and students. Username and password required.
Westlaw: CFR
Access available only to Campbell Law faculty and students. Username and password required.

Veterans' benefits cases can be found on government websites as well as Lexis and Westlaw.

Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA)
The Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA) is an administrative body within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that adjudicates appeals from veterans who disagree with decisions made by other VA agencies on their benefit claims. Specifically, it reviews decisions related to disability compensation, medical benefits, and other veteran benefits. The BVA is governed by U.S.C. 38 Chapter 71.
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit is a specialized appellate court that hears cases involving specific subject matters, including veterans' benefits appeals after they have been reviewed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC). The Federal Circuit has national jurisdiction and its decisions on these matters are binding throughout the country.
U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC)
The U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) is a federal court that reviews decisions made by the Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA) regarding veterans' claims. It provides judicial review of final BVA decisions.
VA Office of General Counsel (OGC)
The VA Office of General Counsel (OGC) is the chief legal entity for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, providing legal advice and representation to the Secretary and other VA officials. The OGC also oversees litigation, interprets laws, and manages legal services across all VA facilities.

Where to find Agency Decisions & Caselaw:

Lexis and Westlaw resources are available only to Campbell Law faculty and students. Username and password required.