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Learn Your Lawyer · Air Force · Defense and Trial Counsel

Matthew J. Snell

Counsel of record in 28 courts-martial in the Military Trial Results data
(9 as defense counsel, 19 as trial counsel)
Dec 2020 to Jul 2026

28Cases
9As defense counsel
19As trial counsel
7Contested (not guilty or mixed plea)

As Defense Counsel (Defending)

Average Contests Per Year: 1.7

9Cases
4Contested
100%Acquitted, contested cases (4 of 4)
—Partial acquittal, contested cases (none)

Pleas When Defending

  • Guilty5 (56%)
  • Not Guilty4 (44%)

Who Decided the Case

  • Judge Alone5 (56%)
  • Enlisted Panel3 (33%)
  • Officer Panel1 (11%)

Contested Panel Cases: 4 of 4

  • Enlisted Panel3 of 4
  • Officer Panel1 of 4

Findings When Defending, All Cases

  • Convicted5 (56%)
  • Acquitted4 (44%)

Contested Findings (Defending)

Decided ByCasesConvictedPartialAcquitted
Enlisted Panel3003
Officer Panel1001

Sentences When Defending

Enlisted (3 Convictions)

  • BCD2 of 3
  • No Punitive Discharge1 of 3

Officers and Warrant Officers (2 Convictions)

  • Dismissal1 of 2
  • No Dismissal1 of 2

No Punitive Discharge

1 of 3 Enlisted Convictions

  • No punitive discharge1 of 3

Member Retained: 1 of 2 Officer Convictions

  • No dismissal1 of 2
67%Punitive discharge, enlisted (2 of 3)
100%Confinement (5 of 5 convictions)
10 moMedian confinement
2.5 yrsLongest confinement

UCMJ Articles When Defending

ArticleCasesContestedConvictedAcquitted
Art. 112a Wrongful use, possession of controlled substances2020
Art. 128 Assault2020
Art. 119b Child endangerment1010
Art. 134 General article1010
Art. 92 Failure to obey order or regulation1010
Charges not listed in the record4404

As Trial Counsel (Prosecuting)

Average Contests Per Year: 1.1

19Cases
3Contested
33%Acquitted, contested cases (1 of 3)
—Partial acquittal, contested cases (none)

Pleas When Prosecuting

  • Guilty11 (58%)
  • Not Guilty3 (16%)
  • Not Reported5 (26%)

Who Decided the Case

  • Judge Alone16 (84%)
  • Enlisted Panel3 (16%)

Contested Panel Cases: 3 of 3

  • Enlisted Panel3 of 3
  • Officer Panel0 of 3

Findings When Prosecuting, All Cases

  • Convicted18 (95%)
  • Acquitted1 (5%)

Contested Findings (Prosecuting)

Decided ByCasesConvictedPartialAcquitted
Enlisted Panel3201

Sentences When Prosecuting

Enlisted (17 Convictions)

  • BCD4 of 17
  • DD1 of 17
  • No Punitive Discharge12 of 17

Officers and Warrant Officers (1 Conviction)

  • No Dismissal1 of 1

No Punitive Discharge

12 of 17 Enlisted Convictions

  • No punitive discharge12 of 17

Member Retained: 1 of 1 Officer Conviction

  • No dismissal1 of 1
29%Punitive discharge, enlisted (5 of 17)
83%Confinement (15 of 18 convictions)
3 moMedian confinement
2.3 yrsLongest confinement

UCMJ Articles When Prosecuting

ArticleCasesContestedConvictedAcquitted
Art. 92 Failure to obey order or regulation7170
Art. 113 Drunken or reckless operation of vehicle4040
Art. 121 Larceny4140
Art. 107 False official statements3130
Art. 111 Leaving scene of vehicle accident3030
Art. 112a Wrongful use, possession of controlled substances3121
Art. 114 Endangerment offenses2020
Art. 128 Assault2120
Art. 131b Obstructing justice2020
Art. 112 Drunkenness and other incapacitation1010

Opposing Counsel, Most Cases

Where

  • Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 5
  • Scott AFB, Illinois 3
  • Travis AFB, California 2
  • MacDill AFB, Florida 2
  • Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota 1
  • Sheppard AFB, Texas 1
  • Patrick SFB, Florida 1
  • Holloman AFB, New Mexico 1

More Air Force Lawyers

Know Your Judge

Counsel of record means this lawyer is listed as defense counsel or trial counsel in the public record of the case. Most cases list more than one lawyer on each side, and the records do not say who led or who argued, so the numbers describe cases this lawyer was counsel on, not individual wins or losses. Pages cover military counsel only; civilian counsel appear in lists by name. Percentages are shown for every count, however small, so check the number of cases behind each one. The Army records say whether there was a plea agreement, not what it said; Air Force records do not report plea agreements, and many Air Force records from 2016 to 2020 do not list the plea. In the article tables one case counts under each article charged, and Air Force records rarely list the charges in cases that ended in acquittal (those show as Charges not listed in the record). Member Retained means the sentence did not include a punitive discharge; it does not rule out a later administrative separation. Mixed Plea* means the record lists a guilty plea but the case ended in a partial acquittal, so at least one charge was contested (a mixed plea, or a guilty plea to a lesser offense). Contested cases are those with a not guilty or mixed plea, plus any case that ended in an acquittal or partial acquittal even when the record does not list the plea.

Source: public records of trial published by each service under Article 140a, UCMJ, as collected for the Military Trial Results page (data updated October 29, 2026). Counts reflect only the cases in this data and may be incomplete. Names are shown as published in the source records.

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