Aspals is the only Military Law web site in the UK that provides military case law and a free fully searchable database of international legal articles. For those who wish access to full reports in our database of caselaw this is possible through the subscription service. Some individual cases may be available for purchase on the cases page by non-subscribers, where indicated as "Indexed Cases". The subscription service is available subject to the terms and conditions specified on this page.
Why should I subscribe?
Whether you are a seasoned court martial practitioner or new to the esoteric world of Service law and military trials, you want to be able to access the materials you need quickly, wherever you are. You will want to be aware of not just the relevant law and procedure, but also commonly used terminology and the rank structure of the 3 Services. For less than the price of a cup of coffee a fortnight, you can find most of what you need on the Aspals site. Why be bogged down with heavy books and case reports? While there are other options available, this inexpensive service is aimed specifically at court martial practitioners and those interested in the Service justice system. Without doubt, this is the smart way to stay informed about the Service justice system.
Benefits of Subscription:
Wherever you are in the world, in addition to accessing the open content on the Aspals site, you will be able to,
access indexed* case law reports from our on-line database, all in pdf format and accessible on — and, subject to relevant proprietary software, printable from — your PC, laptop or smartphone, linking directly to many other caselaw reports that are referenced from within;
Search the articles database and directly access those not publicly available.
Access the repository of historic articles.
You should be aware that some of the older decisions on the Aspals web site may not be traceable on other on-line resources.
How do I access my Subscription?
Cases are accessed through the caselaw page, or by following the relevant link from the search pages. To access a case report, or visit any of the caselaw pages, you will be prompted for your username and password once you click on a case name or a case page link. This will set a session cookie on your device which will allow you to visit other case pages without having to re-enter your user details each time. Once you close down your browser, the session cookie will be deleted. Sometimes, depending on your browser settings, you may be requested to re-enter your details. If that is the case, your Username and Password are the same. Just enter the details again.
For files available for access, you will see that there are usually two links: one is in the heading to the case, usually the citation number, and the other is a flashing "indexed file" button. The link you should use is the citation. If you click on the button, it will take you to the PayPal portal where you can purchase the file. These buttons will be gradually removed from the subscriber content and moved into the searchable database, so that those who do not wish to subscribe but who, nonetheless, need access to a particular case can purchase it. Unfortunately, if you proceed to purchase an indexed file, through the button link, the payment will not be reimbursed. This is because of the low fee of each indexed file, which would be extinguished by the cost of transaction fees involved in processing a return.
Members who wish to access the documents folder should do so via the links listed on the menu document: [documents]
What does it cost?
Aspals is not run for profit. It is designed as an affordable service to assist defence practitioners, students of military law and international lawyers. An annual subscription costs just £75 - less than the price of a fortnightly cup of your favourite coffee! Once you have passed through the payment process, you will be issued with a Username and Password. It can take up to 48 hours for your username and password to be allocated, as we process each subscription manually, in order to reduce costs. However, your subscription only starts from the date your Username and Password are sent to you. Not before. So you benefit from a full 12 months. Payment is through PayPal and can be by credit card or a Paypal account. For Chambers and Solicitors' firms, please contact us about the availability of a group discount.
Other Options
If the subscription service is not for you, it is still possible to access the website content and summaries for free. Individual case transcripts may be obtained for a small administrative fee by clicking on the "indexed file" button. Please note, if you are a subscriber with full access to the database, you do not need to obtain a hardcopy in this way - just download it from the cases page after you have logged in. Please see the Conditions/Terms of Use below. You may nevertheless still want to purchase The Military Justice Handbook in hardcopy or electronic version - or both. This is an essential tool for those who appear before Service courts, and is packed with practical information for advocates. The 2nd edition was published in 2021 by Howgate Publishing. Purchasing options will be found [here].
Conditions/Terms of Use
Subscription period: Subscriptions are for 12 months ("the subscription period") and will lapse at the end of that period, unless the subscription is taken out on the basis of automatic annual renewal or manually renewed.
User Details: Subscription is personal and only for the individual whose details are registered (referred to as "a subscriber") with Aspals. The Password and Username issued to a subscriber must not be used by others without the prior permission of Aspals. In the event of a breach of this condition, Aspals reserves the right to terminate forthwith the subscription. See below
Cases database Access to the Cases database is provided as part of the subscription service. However, if a subscriber purchases an indexed file, through the "indexed file" button link, the payment will not be reimbursed. This is because of the low price of each indexed file, which would be extinguished by the cost of administration and transaction fees involved in processing a return. These buttons are being removed from the subscription database, but will remain on the search results, to enable non-subscribers to purchase individual cases. Where available, Indexed files allow those who do not subscribe to Aspals to individually purchase a case.
Retention of Materials: At the end of the subscription period, copies of documents and indexed case may be retained by the subscriber.
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Aspals has no control over the up-time of ISPs. In the unlikely event that you are unable to access the service, web site or any of its content, Aspals accepts no liability. Additionally, some site maintenance is needed from time to time, although Aspals will endeavour to undertake this during periods of low traffic. Use of the subscription service inherently acknowledges that Aspals will not be in breach of its contract with you in any of these circumstances. All the same, once made aware of access problems to its own ISP, Aspals will do everything possible to ensure that full access is restored soonest.
External Links: Similarly, Aspals cannot guarantee the functionality of links to external websites. Due to the dynamic nature of the internet, links may change, or be removed, by websites. This is beyond the control of Aspals. Therefore, no responsibility is accepted for any inability to access content on linked sites. If it is a case being sourced from a linked website which is unavailable, try the Aspals case database (use the appropriate search button) to see if it is available there.
MaintenanceAspals will endeavour to undertake any necessary website maintenance and/or testing or improvement of the service, during the hours of 23:00-24:00 GMT.
Alterations to Content Subscribers are not authorised to alter any document downloaded from the Aspals web site, unless otherwise specified. Included in this section is any attempt, whether successful or not, to improperly access the Aspals site or its database, or to alter any document on the server. This will be regarded as an abuse of membership.
Personal Data: Personal details provided to Aspals for the purpose of purchasing an indexed file, or a subscription, will remain private and will not be passed to any third party other than those necessary to complete the payment transaction (eg PayPal or credit card companies), or to law enforcement bodies on production of a proper authorisation. Such personal details will relate solely to the Subscriber's name, contact email and the period of subscription. Addresses and other personal information are not retained. No personal information is stored online by Aspals. Upon termination of subscription, this personal informaiton will be deleted from the database. Taking up a subscription signifies acceptance of this data policy.
Termination: A subscription may be terminated by the subscriber at any time during the subscription period. Termination may also result from misuse or abuse of these subscription terms. In either case, there will be no refund in respect of any balance remaining in respect of the unexpired subscription period.
Disputes: Any unresolved dispute over the service provided, or these terms and conditions, shall be settled by arbitration. The decision of the arbitrator shall be final.
Use of the Aspals subscription Service and web site signifies acceptance of Aspals terms of use.
Aspals Legal Pages 1997-
The web resource for military lawyers
