Obstruction at Army Courts-Martial, 2023: The Year in Numbers
The Army records hold 15 courts-martial from 2023 that charged Article 131b (obstruction). The median confinement was 49 days, compared with 6 months in all Army cases in 2023. A punitive discharge followed 50% of enlisted convictions, compared with 74% across the Army.
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Trends › By Offense › Article 131b › Army, 2023
Short answer: The Army records hold 15 courts-martial from 2023 that charged Article 131b (obstruction). The median confinement was 49 days, compared with 6 months in all Army cases in 2023. A punitive discharge followed 50% of enlisted convictions, compared with 74% across the Army.
Short Median Confinement
Of the 15 cases, 12 ended in a conviction on at least one charge, and 10 of those sentences included confinement. The median confinement was 49 days, shorter than the 6 months for all Army cases in 2023. A quarter of the sentences that included confinement were 4 months or longer.
These are adjudged sentences, set at trial before any plea-agreement cap, clemency, or appeal. Each sentence covers every charge in the case.
Full Acquittals in Contested Cases
A contested case is one where the accused pleads not guilty to at least one charge. Of the 15 accused, 7 contested and 8 pleaded guilty. The contested share was 47%, higher than the 31% for all Army cases in 2023.
Of the 7 contested cases that reached a verdict, 3 ended in a full acquittal, meaning not guilty of all charges.
Changes From 2022
The number of cases fell from 26 in 2022 to 15 in 2023. The contested share was about the same, 46% and 47%. Full acquittals in contested cases that reached a verdict went from 4 of 12 to 3 of 7.
The median confinement went from 1 year to 49 days, and punitive discharges for convicted enlisted members went from 65% to 50%. The share of convictions with confinement went from 77% to 83%. General courts-martial went from 76% to 79%. With groups this small, a few cases can move any of these figures.
| 2022 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cases | 26 | 15 |
| Contested (of pleas recorded) | 46% | 47% |
| Full acquittals (decided contested) | 4 of 12 | 3 of 7 |
| Convictions with confinement | 77% | 83% |
| Median confinement | 1 year | 49 days |
| Punitive discharge (enlisted) | 65% | 50% |
| General courts-martial | 76% | 79% |
Punitive Discharges
Of the 12 enlisted members convicted, 6 received a bad-conduct or dishonorable discharge (50%). That was less often than the 74% for all Army cases in 2023. Only 1 of the 6 was a dishonorable discharge.
A sentence without a punitive discharge does not rule out a later administrative separation.
Other Charges in the Same Cases
Only 1 of the 15 cases charged Article 131b by itself. Article 128b (domestic violence) appeared in 6 cases and Article 134 (general article) in 4. Article 92 (orders violation), Article 128 (assault), and Article 112a (drug) each appeared in 3.
Rank, Forum, and Court Level
The accused included 6 junior enlisted members and 9 NCOs, with no officers. The group was more senior than all Army cases in 2023.
A military judge alone decided guilt in 11 cases. Members heard 4, all with enlisted panels, which is 27% of cases with the forum listed. General courts-martial made up 79% of the 14 cases with a court level listed (11 of 14), and special courts-martial made up the rest. The court level is not listed for 1 case.
Limits of These Records
The records give trial dates, not offense dates. They do not describe the evidence or the plea terms, and they do not include cases handled by nonjudicial punishment or administrative separation.
Dates and sources for the law changes mentioned here: UCMJ change timeline.
How We Counted
Army courts-martial with a trial date in 2023 that charged Article 131b (15 cases), compared with all Army cases that year and with 2022.
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
- Article 131b (Obstruction, Numbered Since 2019): Court-Martial Data and Trends (hub)
- By Year (hub)
- Army Article 131b Cases in 2022 (previous / next)
- Army Article 131b Cases in 2024 (previous / next)
- How Has Article 131b Changed in Army Courts-Martial Since 2021? (the full trend)
- Army Article 131b Cases in 2025
- How Army Obstruction Cases Ended in 2021
- How Much Confinement for an Article 131b Conviction in the Army?
- Search every case in Military Trial Results (members)
Compare: federal court. Obstruction of Justice: 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.