Military tribunals were part of Hungary's judicial system and were responsible to the minister of justice and to the minister of defense. A military council of the Supreme Court reviewed cases from lower military tribunals or tried the most serious cases.
Military court jurisdiction was usually limited to cases involving military personnel, cases involving civilians on military installations, or cases involving an aspect of the country's defense. Military courts had a judge and two lay assessors (non-professional judges), whose functions were similar to their equivalents in civilian courts. Military judges were commissioned professional officers with law degrees. Lay assessors were chosen from all ranks, at respective meetings of officers, regimental sergeants major, and enlisted personnel. Members of the court had to have a rank at least equal to that of the accused.
Data as of September 1989