{"data":{"id":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-33a-56","jurisdiction":"us-ma","citation":"Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 33A, § 56","heading":"Maximum limits","body":"Article 56. Maximum limits.\nThe punishment that a court-martial may direct for an offense may not exceed such limits as prescribed by this code, but in no instance may a sentence exceed more than 10 years for a military offense, nor shall a sentence of death be adjudged. A conviction by general court-martial of any military offense for which an accused may receive a sentence of confinement for more than 1 year is a felony offense. Except for convictions by a summary court-martial, all other military offenses are misdemeanors. Any conviction by a summary court-martial is not a criminal conviction. The limits of punishment for violations of the punitive articles prescribed herein shall be as prescribed by the manual for courts-martial of the commonwealth in effect at the time of the offense, but in no instance shall any punishment exceed 10 years confinement.","path":["Part I","Title V","Chapter 33A"],"source_url":"https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleV/Chapter33A/Section56","current_through":"amendments passed before May 31, 2026","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-17T05:20:24Z","sha256":"f1870f2b0110931fa472c9d59be53a7c0e5c6ac7ff001a70cf67246853c4022e","source_id":"us-ma","stale":false,"prev":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-33a-55","next":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-33a-57"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}