How many commissioned officers comprise a summary court-martial?

• A. One
• B. Two
• C. Three
• D. Four

Answer: (A)

A summary court-martial is the simplest form of court-martial, designed for minor offenses by enlisted members. It is presided over by a single commissioned officer who acts as the judge, and there is no jury. This one-officer setup is what defines a summary court-martial, distinguishing it from more formal courts-martial that involve multiple officers as a panel. Therefore, the number of commissioned officers in a summary court-martial is one. Smaller or larger panels correspond to other types of courts-martial, which is why the other options don’t fit.