I’ve seen it more times than I care to count.
A service member stationed overseas gets charged with a serious offense. They retain a civilian attorney, maybe even one with some courtroom experience. That lawyer books a flight, packs a bag, maybe brings the spouse or kids along, and treats the whole thing like a legal-themed getaway.
They’re not ready.
They’re not sharp.
They’re not conditioned for what’s coming.
And their client? Their client pays the price.
Let me break this down for anyone wondering why military court-martials overseas are an entirely different beast—and why you can’t afford to have someone in your corner who thinks this is just another case.
The 20-Hour Gauntlet You Don’t See Coming
Let’s start with the basics.
If your trial is happening in Korea, Japan, or Europe, your defense attorney isn’t showing up fresh from the gym. They’re arriving after:
- 20+ hours of travel
- Two layovers
- A 12-hour time zone shift. Losing an entire day to the international date line
It’s the equivalent of fighting a war on jet lag. And most attorneys have no clue how to handle it.
I’ve seen opposing counsel arrive totally wrecked -groggy, off-kilter, trying to re-learn the case while their body thinks it’s 3 a.m. And the next morning, court begins.
This isn’t a vacation.
This is the Ultimate Away Game.
No Margin for Error
Imagine this: I’m leaving Florida on a Monday.
That means:
- Five hours to San Francisco.
- Four hours in the airport.
- Thirteen hours to Korea.
- Two hours of customs and ground transport.
- And a brutal flip in my internal clock.
I land at 7 a.m. on a Wednesday.
And guess what?
Court starts that day or the next or two.
There’s no break. No adjustment period. No “let me settle in and find my bearings.”
You land, you fight. Period.
That’s the standard I’ve trained myself to meet. That’s what the job demands. And if your attorney isn’t ready for that? They’re going to cost you dearly.
Opposing Counsel in Tourist Mode
Over the years, I’ve seen some shocking things:
- Civilian defense lawyers bringing their spouse and kids to Asia during trial week.
- Lawyers arriving in-country with no clue how the local base operates.
- Counsel showing up sleep-deprived and unprepared because they underestimated the toll of travel.
They thought this was going to be a blend of legal work and sightseeing.
They booked a room with a view.
They planned some side trips.
Meanwhile, I’m sitting in my room, reviewing exhibits, finalizing cross-examination, and syncing my internal clock with the local time zone.
Because I’m not here to vacation.
I’m here to win.
And when your freedom’s on the line, you better believe that matters.
My Travel Protocol Isn’t for Show
I’ve been doing this for over 15 years.
In just the last three and a half months, I’ve circled the globe three times. That’s not a flex—it’s survival.
I’ve built a battle rhythm for overseas trials:
- I start adjusting my sleep schedule before I leave.
- I time meals and caffeine with the target time zone.
- I build in time for decompression and preparation upon arrival.
- I never assume I’ll have time to “catch up” when I get there.
It’s methodical.
It’s exhausting.
But it works.
And it’s why I can walk into a courtroom 24 hours after a brutal travel stretch and perform at 100%.
You’re Not Just Traveling—You’re Operating in Enemy Territory
Let me be real: international trials put you at a disadvantage from the jump.
You don’t have:
- Your full legal team on standby.
- Your normal technology and office setup.
- Local knowledge or routine access to resources.
Even finding a printer or dealing with file access can be a pain. You’re on someone else’s turf. You’re on their clock. And if you don’t know how to function in that chaos, you’re going to drown.
The only way to win that fight is to have done it before- over and over and over again.
Court-Martials Abroad Are Unforgiving
There is no “warm-up” period. No room for trial-and-error. Overseas court-martials are some of the toughest environments to operate in.
The judge? Doesn’t care how far you traveled.
The prosecutors? They’re rested, local, and fully staffed.
The courtroom? Ready to roll.
And if you’re not locked in – mentally, physically, strategically – you’re toast.
There is no excuse.
There is no sympathy.
And there is no redo.
Why This Matters to You
If you’re facing a court-martial overseas, ask yourself this:
Do I want a tourist in a suit—or a fighter who’s done this hundreds of times?
Do you want someone who:
- Trains for the travel
- Knows how to fight jet lag
- Understands international military installations
- Has battle-tested protocols
- Wins cases where others fold
Or do you want someone who booked a flight and winged it?
This isn’t small stuff. This is your career, your record, your freedom. And the wrong attorney could lose the entire fight before the first word is spoken.
No Room for Ego
You don’t win overseas because you’re smart.
You win because you’re prepared.
I’ve seen talented lawyers lose because they didn’t respect the challenge. They thought their legal skill alone would carry them.
But overseas?
Your logistics, your discipline, and your adaptability matter more than your GPA or bravado.
And your client?
They don’t care how good you are back home. They care whether you showed up ready to go to war – jet lag be damned.
Final Thoughts
If you’re accused of a crime in Japan, Korea, Germany, or any other overseas installation, don’t assume any lawyer can handle it.
Ask the hard questions:
- How many overseas trials have you done?
- What’s your travel protocol?
- Can you function at 100% the day after 20 hours in the air?
- Do you know the base, the key players, the environment?
If the answers are vague or overconfident, that’s your red flag. Because military trials abroad are brutal. They’re physically draining. Mentally taxing. And there’s no room for error.
So don’t bring a vacationer into the fight of your life.
Bring someone who’s trained for the away game.
Defending Service Members Globally
Wherever Duty Calls, Our Defense Follows
