The Origins and Application of the Military Deference Doctrine

Although the military deference doctrine is often thought to have originated in Supreme Court decisions in the nineteenth century, the doctrine actually is of fairly recent vintage, being traceable to four decisions issued by the Burger Court between 1974 and 1976. The military deference doctrine is (and should be) limited to constitutional issues where courts weigh the extent of the government's interest in determining the constitutionality of the practice at issue. In addition,although the doctrine is oft- criticized by legal scholars,it remains a viable and robust part of the Supreme Court's constitutional jurisprudence