082 United States v. Adams
Tue Feb 03 2026
When I lived in the southern United States after college, people told me my dating options would be limited. I was 22 years old and, apparently, a spinster, so they cautioned that my dating market would probably be people who'd married young and were winding their way through divorce. I wasn't particularly interested in being a stepmother and, ultimately, didn't seriously date while I was living there. From colleagues and friends, though, I gathered how difficult it was to date as a parent. I listened as women agonized over whether their child was old enough to meet their new beau, whether they'd been dating long enough, whether there were any red flags they might have missed. It was an exercise in exhaustion and concern--a leap of faith.
In the case of Sergeant Adams and his wife, it was a leap of faith that did not work out. There's nothing to suggest Mrs. Adams missed something, but everything to suggest that Sergeant Adams really sucked.
This episode involved discussion of sexual assault. There are a number of resources available for survivors and victim of sexual assault, including the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN). They offer a free, confidential national sexual assault hotline at 800-656-HOPE as well as an online chat option. The victims of the assault were children. If you suspect child abuse, please call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
I relied on a series of briefs and opinions dating back over the length of this case. I think the easiest way to share them is in chronological order:
2017 ACCA direct appeal opinion 2018 ACCA writ opinion 2020 ACCA direct appeal opinion 2021 CAAF direct appeal opinion Appellee's brief 2024 ACCA decision on further review 2025 SCOTUS petition for writ of certiorari SCOTUS Docket (1)(2) 2025 CAAF writ opinion
Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share, rate and review it wherever you hit play today. I'm happy to receive constructive feedback or case suggestions at conductunbecomingpod@gmail.com. Join me over on Instagram @conductunbecoming!
Disclaimer: Conduct Unbecoming is a podcast where I get to talk about interesting crimes and cases that involve US military service members. I research, write, and produce the podcast myself… the opinions expressed are my own and, perhaps it's obvious, Conduct Unbecoming is not approved, endorsed, or authorized by the Department of Defense or whatever name they go by socially now. I am not a military JAG and have never been a military JAG. While I'm a practicing attorney, I don't do direct criminal defense. This podcast is a passion project, not legal advice or expert opinion.
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When I lived in the southern United States after college, people told me my dating options would be limited. I was 22 years old and, apparently, a spinster, so they cautioned that my dating market would probably be people who'd married young and were winding their way through divorce. I wasn't particularly interested in being a stepmother and, ultimately, didn't seriously date while I was living there. From colleagues and friends, though, I gathered how difficult it was to date as a parent. I listened as women agonized over whether their child was old enough to meet their new beau, whether they'd been dating long enough, whether there were any red flags they might have missed. It was an exercise in exhaustion and concern--a leap of faith. In the case of Sergeant Adams and his wife, it was a leap of faith that did not work out. There's nothing to suggest Mrs. Adams missed something, but everything to suggest that Sergeant Adams really sucked. This episode involved discussion of sexual assault. There are a number of resources available for survivors and victim of sexual assault, including the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN). They offer a free, confidential national sexual assault hotline at 800-656-HOPE as well as an online chat option. The victims of the assault were children. If you suspect child abuse, please call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages. I relied on a series of briefs and opinions dating back over the length of this case. I think the easiest way to share them is in chronological order: 2017 ACCA direct appeal opinion 2018 ACCA writ opinion 2020 ACCA direct appeal opinion 2021 CAAF direct appeal opinion Appellee's brief 2024 ACCA decision on further review 2025 SCOTUS petition for writ of certiorari SCOTUS Docket (1)(2) 2025 CAAF writ opinion Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share, rate and review it wherever you hit play today. I'm happy to receive constructive feedback or case suggestions at conductunbecomingpod@gmail.com. Join me over on Instagram @conductunbecoming! Disclaimer: Conduct Unbecoming is a podcast where I get to talk about interesting crimes and cases that involve US military service members. I research, write, and produce the podcast myself… the opinions expressed are my own and, perhaps it's obvious, Conduct Unbecoming is not approved, endorsed, or authorized by the Department of Defense or whatever name they go by socially now. I am not a military JAG and have never been a military JAG. While I'm a practicing attorney, I don't do direct criminal defense. This podcast is a passion project, not legal advice or expert opinion.