5508 - Absent and additional members. - Pennsylvania Statutes

§ 5508. Absent and additional members. (a) Authorized absence.--No member of a general or special court-martial shall be absent or excused after the court has been assembled for the trial of the accused, except for physical disability or as the result of a challenge or by order of the convening authority for good cause. (b) New members of general court-martial.--Whenever a general court-martial is reduced below five members, the trial shall not proceed unless the convening authority appoints new members sufficient in number to provide not less than five members. When such new members have been sworn, the trial may proceed after the recorded evidence previously introduced before the members of the court has been read to the court in the presence of the military judge, the accused, and counsel for both sides. (c) New members of special court-martial.--Whenever a special court-martial is reduced below three members, the trial shall not proceed unless the convening authority appoints new members sufficient in number to provide not less than three members. When such new members have been sworn, the trial shall proceed with the new members present as if no evidence has previously been introduced at the trial, unless a verbatim record of the evidence previously introduced before the members of the court or a stipulation thereof is read to the court in the presence of the military judge, if any, the accused, and counsel for both sides.