While Attorney Kevin O’Grady protects the rights of the accused as
a civilian, serving as a Hawaii DUI attorney in Honolulu, he also serves
in the U.S. Army Reserve. As an Army Major and Judge Advocate (JAG) for
the 75th Legal Detachment, he serves as an Article 32 Preliminary Hearing
Officer for General Court Martials (GCM)—the most serious and high-stakes
cases in military justice.
For soldiers who have been charged with serious crimes, they are entitled
to a preliminary hearing under Article 32 of the Uniform Code of Military
Justice. Similar to a civilian preliminary hearing, MAJ O’Grady’s
responsibility is to determine whether there is enough evidence to warrant
a Court-Martial. In this capacity, he is able to use his legal insight
to develop the practice of criminal law within the U.S. Army.
The only PHOs who are qualified to handle all General Court-Martial level
cases are Judge Advocates, who are Field Grade officers, have Court-Martial
experience with both prosecution and defense positions, and have experience
handling Article 120 Sexual Assault & Rape cases. Because he meets
all of these high-level qualifications, MAJ O’Grady provides a vital
and unique service to his country and to the Army.
As a reservist, he works with prosecutors and active-duty JAGs to improve
and refine the court process within the 75th Legal Operations Detachment.
For example, his duties might include working with JAGs on the types of
evidence necessary to have a fair ART 32 sufficient to determine whether
or not probable cause exists and to develop a full recommendation for
the Convening Authority as to whether or not the Accused should be referred
to General Court-Martial, supplementing the efforts of other JAGs to ensure
a fair and efficient court process, or in general providing professional
and legal support.
As a civilian defense attorney, his work as a JAG helps ensure that soldiers
are not wrongfully accused, and that both prosecutors and assigned military
defense counsel do their jobs competently and ethically. While he is unable
to defend Army personnel at a GCM due to his role as a PHO, he is still
able to serve the accused by being am impartial PHO, eliminating poor
or groundless accusations from the docket and making appropriate recommendations
to the Convening Authority.
His experience with Army Courts-Martial moreover makes him a formidable
and effective military defense lawyer for Sailors, Marines, Airmen, and
Guardsmen. His understanding of prosecution tactics, defense strategy,
and military law make him a uniquely qualified ally for soldiers in any
branch of the military. While as a civilian, much of his practice is devoted
to DUI charges, as a military representative he is equipped to handle
the most serious charges in a Court-Martial setting.
WhWhether you’re a civilian or a soldier, whether you’re facing
DUI charges or serious accusations within the military, you can depend
on MAJ Kevin O’Grady to have your back. Every person deserves justice—that’s
the cornerstone of our firm’s practice. As a result, Attorney O’Grady
has a reputation for fighting for the rights of every individual, no matter
the charges, complexity, or circumstances.