2025: Experience of Air Force Defense Counsel of Record
The 218 Air Force courts-martial tried in 2025 named 112 different defense counsel of record, and 9 of them (8%) had no earlier case in this data. In the 213 cases that list a defense lawyer, the median prior-case count of the most experienced one was 9.
Understanding Trends in Military Practice · 5 min read
Trends › Counsel Experience › Air Force 2025
Short answer: The 218 Air Force courts-martial tried in 2025 named 112 different defense counsel of record, and 9 of them (8%) had no earlier case in this data. In the 213 cases that list a defense lawyer, the median prior-case count of the most experienced one was 9. Defense counsel had more prior cases than trial counsel in 123 of 213 cases (58%).
Who Defended Air Force Cases in 2025
Of the 112 defense counsel of record in 2025 trials, 53 appeared in 2 to 4 cases during the year and 45 appeared in only 1. Another 13 appeared in 5 to 9 cases. A single lawyer appeared in 10 or more.
New lawyers made up 9 of the 112 (8%). A lawyer counted as new has no earlier court-martial in this data, though the lawyer may have tried cases before the records begin.
| Cases as defense counsel in 2025 | Lawyers |
|---|---|
| 1 case | 45 |
| 2 to 4 cases | 53 |
| 5 to 9 cases | 13 |
| 10 or more cases | 1 |
Partial Acquittals Were Uncommon in Contested Verdicts
In 2025, 70 contested cases reached a verdict and list a defense counsel. A contested case is one where the accused pleads not guilty to at least one charge. A full acquittal means not guilty on every charge, and a partial acquittal means not guilty on at least one charge or specification and guilty on another.
Partial acquittals were 0% in the 1 to 4 and 5 to 9 groups and 8% in the 10 to 19 group. None of the 7 cases in the 20 or more group ended in a partial acquittal.
Full acquittals were 58% in the 1 to 4 group, which had 12 cases, and 42% in both the 5 to 9 and 10 to 19 groups. In the 20 or more group, 3 of 7 cases ended in a full acquittal. The 1 case with no prior-case defense counsel ended in neither. The records do not show the evidence, plea offers, or who did the work, so these rows describe outcomes and not the effect of experience.
| Prior cases (most experienced defense counsel) | Contested cases | Full acquittal | Partial acquittal |
|---|---|---|---|
| No prior cases | 1 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 1 |
| 1 to 4 | 12 | 58% | 0% |
| 5 to 9 | 24 | 42% | 0% |
| 10 to 19 | 26 | 42% | 8% |
| 20 or more | 7 | 3 of 7 | 0 of 7 |
The Measure Behind These Numbers
For each lawyer, the page counts the courts-martial that lawyer had already been counsel of record on in this data, on either side, in the Air Force, before the trial date. That count is what experience means here. It is not a measure of skill.
A team may list several defense lawyers without naming a lead, so each case takes the count of its most experienced defense counsel of record. No lawyer is rated or ranked.
Prior-Case Counts for 2025 Defense Teams
Of the 218 cases, 213 list at least one defense counsel of record, with a median of 9 prior cases for the most experienced.
Two ranges held most cases: 5 to 9 with 82 cases (38%) and 10 to 19 with 78 (37%). The 1 to 4 range had 37 cases (17%), and 14 cases (7%) had a defense counsel with 20 or more prior cases. In 2 cases (1%), no defense counsel of record had a prior case in this data.
| Prior cases (most experienced defense counsel) | Cases | Share |
|---|---|---|
| No prior cases | 2 | 1% |
| 1 to 4 | 37 | 17% |
| 5 to 9 | 82 | 38% |
| 10 to 19 | 78 | 37% |
| 20 or more | 14 | 7% |
Team Size and the Two Sides Compared
Most defense teams had 1 lawyer. Of the 213 cases, 154 listed 1 defense counsel of record, 49 listed 2, and 10 listed 3 or more.
All 213 also list a trial counsel. The most experienced defense counsel had more prior cases than the most experienced trial counsel in 123 cases (58%) and fewer in 87 (41%). The rest were tied. The comparison is of counts, not of how well either side worked.
2025 Compared With 2024
The median confinement was 6 months in 2025, compared with 5 months in 2024. Sentences here are as adjudged at trial, before any plea-agreement cap, clemency, or appeal.
Article 90 (disobeying an officer) was charged in 4% of 2025 cases. In 2024, it was charged in 0%. Neither figure is broken down by lawyer.
Rules in Effect
Since December 28, 2023, special trial counsel rather than commanders decide whether to prosecute covered offenses, including sexual assault, domestic violence, and murder. When every guilty finding in a case is for an offense after December 27, 2023, the military judge sets the sentence within new sentencing parameters. Because the records carry only trial dates, 2025 trials still mix cases under both the old and new rules.
Where the Data Stops
Air Force counsel names are nearly complete from 2016. Different spellings of a name are merged the same way as on Learn Your Lawyer. Navy and Marine Corps records name counsel only from mid-2025, mostly by surname, so they are not included.
The records list charges, pleas, findings, and sentences. They do not include the evidence, the plea terms, or conduct handled outside a court-martial. Air Force records rarely list charges in full acquittals and never report plea agreements.
Dates and sources for the law changes mentioned here: UCMJ change timeline.
How We Counted
Every Air Force court-martial with a trial date in 2025 (218 cases). Counsel of record are as listed in the public records.
Source: public court-martial records (Article 140a, UCMJ) in Military Trial Results, data updated October 24, 2026. Definitions, sources, and known gaps: how this data was built. Errors: content@bodiesburied.com.
Related Analysis
- Counsel Experience (hub)
- Air Force Courts-Martial: Data and Trends (hub)
- 2018: Experience of Air Force Defense Counsel of Record
- 2020: Experience of Air Force Trial Counsel of Record
- 2021: Experience of Air Force Trial Counsel of Record
- 2023: Experience of Air Force Trial Counsel of Record
- 2024: Experience of Air Force Trial Counsel of Record
- 2025: Experience of Air Force Trial Counsel of Record
- Air Force Defense Counsel in 2019: Prior Cases, Turnover, and Team Size
- Search every case in Military Trial Results (members)
About the author. Jocelyn C. Stewart is a retired Army JAG with more than 24 years of trying courts-martial and more than 200 jury trials. She hosts Where All The Bodies Are Buried and runs the Law Office of Jocelyn C. Stewart. This analysis is for education and information only. It is not legal advice, and every case is different.