Judge lacked power to overturn ex-soldier Bowe Bergdahl's military conviction, appeals court rules

On Tuesday, a three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that a district court judge lacked the power to overturn the military conviction of former U.S. soldier Bowe Bergdahl. The appellate court ordered the dismissal of Bergdahl's claims that had previously resulted in the overturning of his court-martial.

The ruling establishes that only military tribunals possess the authority to assess such court-martial convictions. This legal decision represents a significant blow to the former Afghan war prisoner, effectively reinstating the validity of his original military conviction after the appeals court found the previous district-level intervention invalid.