judge advocate

American  

noun

Military.

judge advocates plural

1. a staff officer designated as legal adviser to a commander and charged with the administration of military justice.

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judge advocate British  

noun

1. an officer who superintends proceedings at a military court martial

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• judge advocates
  plural

Etymology

Origin of judge advocate

First recorded in 1740–50

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

judge advocate

He served as a judge advocate in the Air Force, eventually becoming the chief prosecutor for the Air Force in Europe.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2026

Militaries at war can lawfully kill combatants, including members of nonstate groups such as Hamas, even under a cease-fire, said Rachel VanLandingham, a national-security-law expert and former judge advocate in the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026

A month after taking charge, Hegseth fired the military’s top judge advocate generals, known as JAGs, who provide guidance to keep operations in line with U.S. or international law.

From Salon ● Mar. 11, 2026

Starting in the early 1900s, Congress enacted predecessors to Section 12406 that used the term in this way; members of the armed forces, including the Army’s judge advocate general, confirmed this interpretation.

From Slate ● Oct. 30, 2025

The court of criminal jurisdiction was composed of seven officers, of whom the judge advocate was one.

From The History of Tasmania, Volume I by West, John