If charges were served on January 13, by what date must the court-martial occur?

In military law, after charges are served, there are specific timelines within which a court-martial must occur. According to the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), once charges are served, the accused has a right to an expedited trial to ensure justice is served. The general rule allows for the trial to begin within a certain number of days after service of the charges.

In this case, if charges were served on January 13, the day of service is counted as day one. By counting forward, the seventh day after the charges are served would fall on January 19. Therefore, the court-martial must occur no later than January 19 to comply with regulations regarding the timing of court-martials.

This understanding aligns with the principles of timely justice and upholding the rights of the accused within the military justice system, which emphasizes prompt proceedings following the initiation of charges. Other dates would not comply with the required timeline, as they fall either too soon or too late according to the stipulated rules.