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Obeying Manifestly Unlawful Orders in UCMJ

The UCMJ imposes a duty to obey lawful orders, but rejects obedience as a defense when an order is manifestly unlawful. This creates a tension between obeying orders and not obeying if they are manifestly unlawful.

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Jan 18, 2026
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What is the legal definition of a manifestly unlawful order under the UCMJ?

The UCMJ imposes a duty to obey lawful orders and makes disobedience punishable under Article 92, but American military law and international precedent reject obedience as a blanket defense when an or...