Nevada Carry
  • Home
    • Contact >
      • FAQ
    • Safety
    • Search
  • Blog
  • Open Carry
    • Open Carry Safety
    • Open Carry and the Constitution
    • Open Carry Safety
  • Concealed Carry
    • How to Get a CCW
    • Carrying on a CCW
  • Car Carry
  • Local Laws
    • Public Buildings
    • Blue Cards
    • Preemption History
  • Self-Defense
  • Buying and Selling Guns
    • Universal Background Checks
  • Other States
    • CA Carry

Nevada Carry Blog
For full archive, see the Blogspot archive

What Can the Military Do During Martial Law (Insurrection Act)?

5/31/2020

 
Picture
Martial law means two things in reality; first, that civilians can be tried under military law by military tribunals, and, two, military acting in place of local law enforcement. The former situation applies only to war/civil war and the second requires essentially widespread rioting and lawlessness, which we are indeed seeing all across the nation. In a situation like this, the military would be allowed to assist in restoring order.

Credible reports have indicated that third parties (Antifa, etc.) are exploiting the protests to engage in planned civil disobedience. At this time, the conditions for an active insurrection against the government is in place.

Local police in many areas cannot guarantee safety or enforce the law. Many mayors and governors have refused to take effective action. The conditions to order federal troops in to restore order have been met in many localities. 

The need for military to supercede local government applies only when there is the “failure or inability of the legitimate government to exercise its functions on account of the military occupation, or the undesirability of allowing it to do so.” (FM 27-10)

Ordinarily, National Guard troops have roughly the same powers as local police. When they are ordered into federal service, it's a whole new ballgame. 

The Constitution does not prohibit use of the military in civilian law enforcement. That is federal legislation, passed by Congress, in the wake of Reconstruction where the Army was the police in the South. 

Article 1, Section 9 of the US Constitution states, "The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it." Congress must approve of the suspension and that is unlikely in the current political climate.

This act only applies in cases of war or rebellion; not a mere disaster. Per Ex parte Milligan, the Supreme Court ruled that "martial rule can never exist when the courts are open" and restricts martial law to places where "war really prevails." Unless the civil courts are not functioning, you cannot be tried by military tribunal, held to account under the UCMJ, or held indefinitely. That would be full martial law.

The Posse Comitatus Act prohibits the military from engaging in law enforcement duties. This does not apply to state National Guard units on state missions (it does apply if the state guard is federalized). In 1992, during the Los Angeles Riots, the National Guard, Army, and Marine Corps were ordered into the city under the Insurrection Act, which does allow the military to engage in law enforcement. The current law does not include disasters as reason for deploying the military.

The Insurrection Act requires specific circumstances to go into effect. In short, law enforcement must be unable (in this case) to enforce the law which thus denies equal protection of the law, guaranteed by the 14th Amendment, to citizens. One could imagine that because police are sick or have deserted, things get so dire that rampant rioting and looting threaten a city (or the nation). At that point, ordinary “crime” is so out of hand that it qualifies as “domestic violence,” on par with war. While this isn't exactly full "martial law," it can be considered a form of it.

10 USC §253

The President, by using the militia or the armed forces, or both, or by any other means, shall take such measures as he considers necessary to suppress, in a State, any insurrection, domestic violence, unlawful combination, or conspiracy, if it--

(1) so hinders the execution of the laws of that State, and of the United States within the State, that any part or class of its people is deprived of a right, privilege, immunity, or protection named in the Constitution and secured by law, and the constituted authorities of that State are unable, fail, or refuse to protect that right, privilege, or immunity, or to give that protection; or

...In any situation covered by clause (1), the State shall be considered to have denied the equal protection of the laws secured by the Constitution.

10 USC §254

Whenever the President considers it necessary to use the militia or the armed forces under this chapter, he shall, by proclamation, immediately order the insurgents to disperse and retire peaceably to their abodes within a limited time.

Nevada Powers

NRS 414.060  Powers and duties of Governor. 
3. (g)(5) The conduct of the general public and the movement and cessation of movement of pedestrians and vehicular traffic during, before and after exercises or an emergency or disaster.
(6) Public meetings or gatherings.

National guard powers

NRS 412.602  Right-of-way on public street and highway; penalty for interference.  The Nevada National Guard in the performance of its military duties has the right-of-way over any persons or vehicles on any public street or highway of this state, except United States mail carriers, fire apparatus and other emergency vehicles. Any person who hinders or delays, or obstructs, the Nevada National Guard in the performance of its military duties is guilty of a misdemeanor.”

No gun regulations/confiscation


42 US Code §5207
(a)Prohibition on confiscation of firearmsNo officer or employee of the United States (including any member of the uniformed services), or person operating pursuant to or under color of Federal law, or receiving Federal funds, or under control of any Federal official, or providing services to such an officer, employee, or other person, while acting in support of relief from a major disaster or emergency, may--
(1) temporarily or permanently seize, or authorize seizure of, any firearm the possession of which is not prohibited under Federal, State, or local law, other than for forfeiture in compliance with Federal law or as evidence in a criminal investigation;
(2) require registration of any firearm for which registration is not required by Federal, State, or local law;
(3) prohibit possession of any firearm, or promulgate any rule, regulation, or order prohibiting possession of any firearm, in any place or by any person where such possession is not otherwise prohibited by Federal, State, or local law; or
(4) prohibit the carrying of firearms by any person otherwise authorized to carry firearms under Federal, State, or local law, solely because such person is operating under the direction, control, or supervision of a Federal agency in support of relief from the major disaster or emergency.
(b)Limitation Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit any person in subsection (a) from requiring the temporary surrender of a firearm as a condition for entry into any mode of transportation used for rescue or evacuation during a major disaster or emergency, provided that such temporarily surrendered firearm is returned at the completion of such rescue or evacuation.
(c)Private rights of action
(1)In general
Any individual aggrieved by a violation of this section may seek relief in an action at law, suit in equity, or other proper proceeding for redress against any person who subjects such individual, or causes such individual to be subjected, to the deprivation of any of the rights, privileges, or immunities secured by this section.


NRS 414.155  Limitations on emergency powers relating to firearms.  Pursuant to Amendment II of the Constitution of the United States and Section 11 of Article 1 of the Constitution of the State of Nevada, and notwithstanding any other provision of law, the emergency powers conferred upon the Governor and upon the executive heads or governing bodies of the political subdivisions of this State must not be construed to allow:
      1.  The confiscation of a firearm from a person unless the person is:
      (a) In unlawful possession of the firearm; or
      (b) Unlawfully carrying the firearm; or
      2.  The imposition of additional restrictions as to the lawful possession, transfer, sale, carrying, storage, display or use of:
      (a) Firearms;
      (b) Ammunition; or
      (c) Components of firearms or ammunition.

Comments are closed.

    Archives

    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    September 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    April 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    May 2015

    Categories

    All
    Campus Carry
    Ccsd
    Schools

    RSS Feed

    Blogspot Archive
    Blog roll
    Clayton E. Cramer
    Gun Watch
    Gun Free Zone

    The War on Guns
    ​Commander Zero
    The View From Out West
 This does not constitute, nor should be implied as, legal advice. Always seek an attorney's advice and consult state and local laws yourself. User assumes all liability for use of the information provided here. Site has been reviewed by certified instructors. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.​ Copyright 2024.
  • Home
    • Contact >
      • FAQ
    • Safety
    • Search
  • Blog
  • Open Carry
    • Open Carry Safety
    • Open Carry and the Constitution
    • Open Carry Safety
  • Concealed Carry
    • How to Get a CCW
    • Carrying on a CCW
  • Car Carry
  • Local Laws
    • Public Buildings
    • Blue Cards
    • Preemption History
  • Self-Defense
  • Buying and Selling Guns
    • Universal Background Checks
  • Other States
    • CA Carry