Military Law
Jul. 21, 2026
Upholding fairness in military justice: guarding against unlawful command influence in California
The 2025 federalization of the California National Guard sparked legal questions over military authority while underscoring the enduring importance of guarding against unlawful command influence.
In the summer of 2025, the streets of Los Angeles tested the boundaries of military command. The federalization of thousands of California National Guard members for domestic operations sparked significant legal debate, including rulings addressing Posse Comitatus concerns. As a presently serving JAG Officer, I view such events through the lens of a deeper, longstanding principle in military justice: the need to guard against unlawful command influence (UCI).
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