Imposition of direct military control or suspension of civil law by a government Martial law is the replacement of civilian government by military rule and the suspension of civilian legal processes for military powers. Martial law can continue for a specified amount of time, or indefinitely, and standard civil liberties may be suspended for as long as martial law continues. Most often, martial law is declared in times of war or emergencies such as civil unrest and natural disasters. Alternatively, martial law may be declared in instances of military coups d'état. 483,985 views on December 3, 2024 — Wikipedia's most-read article that day. Also most read: Yoon Suk Yeol, 2024 South Korean martial law crisis, Kash Patel, Jameis Winston. Wiki link