An officer of the Marine Corps who is a judge advocate and a member of the bar of a Federal court or the highest court of a State or territory and who has had at least eight years of experience in legal duties as a commissioned officer may be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, as Staff Judge Advocate to the Commandant of the Marine Corps.

If the Secretary of the Navy elects to convene a selection board under section 611(a) of this title to consider eligible officers for selection to appointment as Staff Judge Advocate, the Secretary may, in connection with such consideration for selection—

(1) Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Navy, in selecting an officer for recommendation to the President for appointment as the Staff Judge Advocate to the Commandant of the Marine Corps, shall ensure that the officer selected is recommended by a board of officers that, insofar as practicable, is subject to the procedures applicable to selection boards convened under chapter 36 of this title.

If the Secretary of the Navy elects to convene a selection board under section 611(a) of this title to consider eligible officers for selection to appointment as Staff Judge Advocate, the Secretary may, in connection with such consideration for selection—

(A) treat any section in chapter 36 of this title referring to promotion to the next higher grade as if such section referred to promotion to a higher grade; and

(B) waive section 619(a)(2) of this title if the Secretary determines that the needs of the Marine Corps require the waiver.

The Staff Judge Advocate to the Commandant of the Marine Corps, under the direction of the Commandant of the Marine Corps and the Secretary of the Navy, shall—

(1) perform such duties relating to legal matters arising in the Marine Corps as may be assigned to the Staff Judge Advocate;

(2) perform the functions and duties, and exercise the powers, prescribed for the Staff Judge Advocate to the Commandant of the Marine Corps in chapter 47 (the Uniform Code of Military Justice) and chapter 53 of this title; and

(3) perform such other duties as may be assigned to the Staff Judge Advocate.

No officer or employee of the Department of Defense may interfere with—

(1) the ability of the Staff Judge Advocate to the Commandant of the Marine Corps to give independent legal advice to the Commandant of the Marine Corps; or

(2) the ability of judge advocates of the Marine Corps assigned or attached to, or performing duty with, military units to give independent legal advice to commanders.

(Added Pub. L. 99–661, div. A, title V, § 509(a)(1), Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3868, § 5046; amended Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title V, § 504(b)(4), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2751; Pub. L. 108–375, div. A, title V, § 574(b)(2), Oct. 28, 2004, 118 Stat. 1922; Pub. L. 110–417, [div. A], title V, § 504(a), Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4434; Pub. L. 112–239, div. A, title V, § 531(a), (b), Jan. 2, 2013, 126 Stat. 1725, 1726; Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title V, § 502(x), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2104; Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title V, § 508(a), Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1375; renumbered § 8046, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 807(a)(1), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1834.)