This collection contains United States Army Judge Advocate General Corps (JAG) court filings, memorandum, and other documents, from 1947-1951, regarding World War II war crimes trials and subsequent law suits challenging the convictions and sentences (including death) of German and Japanese military members. The papers were part of the files of Edward J. Murphy Jr., staff JAG attorney of the Army JAG War Crimes Division and Department of Defense Committee on War Crimes.

The bulk of the material includes reviews of German and Japanese war crimes trials with recommendations by the War Crimes Division, including the defendants of the Malmedy Massacre trials, and papers reviewing the legality of U.S. war crimes convictions and sentencing, challenged in civil proceedings. Significant material is included on the legality of the war crimes trials, proceedings, and sentencing in respect to international law, including the Geneva Convention.

Some notable names of war crimes defendants challenging their convictions and sentencing include Oswald Pohl, Lothar Eisentraeger (alias Ludwig Ehrhardt), Harukei Isayama (14 Fliers Case), and Shigeru Sawada (Doolittle Fliers Case).