Army Courts-Martial With Article 112a and Article 120, 2021–2026

Trends › By Offense › Article 112a › Army, with Article 120

Based on 13 cases · 2021–2026 · Army records · data updated October 24, 2026

Most of These Cases Were Contested

9 of the 13 accused contested at least one charge, and 4 pleaded guilty. A contested case is one where the accused pleads not guilty to at least one charge. The contested share was 69%. Across Army-wide Article 112a cases, it was 14%.

Members Heard More of These Cases

Panels of members decided 5 cases: 4 enlisted panels and 1 officer panel. A military judge alone decided the other 8. Members heard 38% of these cases, compared with 8% of Army-wide Article 112a cases.

The accused usually chooses whether a military judge alone or members decide guilt.

Every Sentence Included Confinement

All 13 cases ended in a conviction on at least one charge, and all 13 sentences included confinement (100%). The median confinement was 1.8 years. Across Army-wide Article 112a cases, the median was 5 months. A quarter of the sentences in this group were 5 years or longer.

These are adjudged sentences, before any plea-agreement cap, clemency, or appeal. Each sentence covers every charge in the case, including the Article 120 charge.

Punitive Discharges for Every Enlisted Conviction

A punitive discharge followed 100% of enlisted convictions: 8 dishonorable discharges and 3 bad-conduct discharges. Army Article 112a cases overall had a rate of 81%.

2 convicted officers or warrant officers appear, and neither was dismissed. A sentence without a punitive discharge does not rule out a later administrative separation.

Court Level

12 of the 13 cases (92%) were general courts-martial, the level that can impose long confinement and a dishonorable discharge. The remaining case was a special court-martial, where confinement is capped at one year.

Other Charges and Rank

Article 128, assault, was charged in 10 of the 13 cases. Article 92, orders violation, and Article 134, the general article, each appeared in 4. Article 90, disobeying an officer, appeared in 3.

Junior enlisted members (E-1 to E-4) were 69% of the accused, NCOs 15%, and officers 15%. Among all Army-wide Article 112a cases, junior enlisted members were 73%, so this group had a smaller junior enlisted share.

Trial Years

Trials ran from January 2021 to April 2026. There were 6 in 2021, 4 in 2022, 2 in 2023, 0 in 2024, 0 in 2025, and 1 in 2026, a partial year.

What the Records Leave Out

Sexual assault is a covered offense. Since December 28, 2023, special trial counsel, not commanders, decide whether to prosecute it. The records give trial dates, not offense dates, so they cannot show whether that change applied to the 2026 case. The same is true of the new sentencing parameters, which apply when every guilty finding is for an offense after December 27, 2023. The evidence, the plea terms, and conduct handled outside a court-martial are not in these records.

For what the offense covers and how it is defended, see Article 112a on the law firm's website. Dates and sources for the law changes: UCMJ change timeline.

Compare: federal court. Drug Use: Federal Sentences vs. Army Courts-Martial · Drug Distribution: Federal Sentences vs. Army Courts-Martial · Sexual Abuse of an Adult: Federal Sentences vs. Army Courts-Martial

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.