Over 500+ Successful Court Cases & Counting: See Reviews ➔
500+ Successful Court Cases & Counting: See Reviews ➔

UCMJ Article 134: General Article (Animal Abuse)

At Bilecki Law Group, we defend service members against charges under Article 134 of the UCMJ. This includes, but is not limited to, charges of animal abuse under the general article.

What Is Article 134 Of The UCMJ?

Article 134 of the UCMJ is often referred to as the general article and includes a list of prohibited activities which are believed to bring discredit upon the armed services or is prejudicial to good order and discipline. This includes the charge of animal abuse under Article 134.

There are two specific charges that bring with them their own unique set of elements that must be satisfied to be found guilty. Those are as follows:

Abuse, Neglect, or Abandonment of an Animal – To be found guilty, the prosecution must satisfy the following two elements:

(1) That (state the time and place alleged), the accused wrongfully (abused) (neglected) (abandoned) a certain (public) animal (and caused the serious injury or death of the animal); and
(2) That, under the circumstances, the conduct of the accused was (to the prejudice of good order and discipline in the armed forces) (of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces) (to the prejudice of good order and discipline in the armed forces or of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces).
Maximum Punishment: Bad conduct discharge, total forfeiture of all pay and allowances, 1 year confinement and reduction in rank to E-1.

If the animal was a public animal there is an additional possible year of confinement.

Sexual Act with an Animal – To be found guilty, the prosecution must satisfy the following two elements:

(1) That (state the time and place alleged), the accused engaged in a sexual act with a certain animal, to wit: (state the alleged sexual act); and

(2) That, under the circumstances, the conduct of the accused was (to the prejudice of good order and discipline in the armed forces) (of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces) (to the prejudice of good order and discipline in the armed forces or of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces).

Maximum Punishment: Dishonorable discharge, total forfeiture of all pay and allowances, 5 years confinement and reduction in rank to E-1. 

Animal cruelty is considered a serious offense by the U.S. Military. Do not let them throw the book at you. Fight back TODAY by making one call to Bilecki Law Group.

How To Fight Back And Win Against Charges Of Animal Abuse Under Article 134?

Now, we absolutely love animals here at Bilecki and we take cases defending against animal abuse for 1 of 2 reasons. The first is that our justice system presupposes and requires a strong and adequate defense. That’s just how justice works. The second reason is that quite often, service members who are completely innocent find themselves under trumped up charges and are railroaded out of the military. This is not right.

It could very well be that the service member had no idea the animal was still at a particular location and exposed to the elements. It could very well be that the animal was under the care and the responsibility of another. As for putting your junk in an animal, well, we can’t think of any justification for that. Yet, somewhere out there is a Marine who is going to wrongfully give it a go anyways.

Military Animal Abuse Defense

Securing the best outcome possible in your case will require planning, preparation, and a full appreciation of what you’re up against. Service members who walk into their court-martial unprepared will be decimated by the military’s experienced prosecutors. Therefore, the first step to a positive outcome is hiring an attorney that understands how to win animal abuse cases.
Since we founded the practice, Bilecki Law Group has been giving U.S. service members a chance to fight back against the military’s conviction machine. To do so, we rely on a mixture of tenacity, experience, and a dedicated in-house team to even our client’s odds in court.

  • We are tenacious advocates for our clients. Prosecutors want to paint you as a violent criminal who harms innocent animals. But events and actions are never that black and white. We will defend your side of the story relentlessly during your court-martial, ensuring that the judge and jury know all the facts about what happened and why.
  • We understand the UCMJ and its take on animal abuse. Decades of experience working with the UCMJ and the Manual for Court Martial gives us a head start in preparing your defense. No detail of the Article 134 offenses is small enough to escape our notice.
  • A conviction could mean prison, a punitive discharge, and the loss of all your benefits. Do not take the risk. Contact our team today!

Maximum Possible Punishment

The UCMJ describes animal abandonment as the “intentional, knowing, reckless or negligent leaving of an animal at a location without providing minimum care while having the charge or custody of that animal.”

What Does the Military Define as an Abandoned Animal?

The UCMJ describes animal abandonment as the “intentional, knowing, reckless or negligent leaving of an animal at a location without providing minimum care while having the charge or custody of that animal.”

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Experienced Military Defense Lawyers for Article 134 Charges

Have you been accused of animal abuse by the U.S. Military? Bilecki Law Group has been helping service members just like you protect themselves against the worst-case scenario for decades. Do not wait a minute longer to seek support. Our law firm is one of the most experienced in the country, with hundreds of courts-martial cases under our belts.

Regardless of what charge you are facing, the military justice system is going to come after you for everything you have. If you want to save your career, retirement, and freedom, reach out to us and get us into the fight for what matters most to you. We can take the fight to the heart of the military justice system and most importantly, we can win.

Bilecki Law Group will help you fight back against charges under Article 134: Animal Abuse.

Don’t just plead guilty… Fight Back !