Army Article 131b Cases in 2025
In 2025 the Army tried 15 courts-martial that charged Article 131b (obstruction), and all 15 ended in a conviction. The median confinement was 1.5 years, compared with 8 months in all Army cases in 2025. The contested share was 33%, compared with 20% across the Army.
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Trends › By Offense › Article 131b › Army, 2025
Short answer: In 2025 the Army tried 15 courts-martial that charged Article 131b (obstruction), and all 15 ended in a conviction. The median confinement was 1.5 years, compared with 8 months in all Army cases in 2025. The contested share was 33%, compared with 20% across the Army.
Every Case Ended in a Conviction
All 15 cases ended in a conviction on at least one charge. Of the 5 contested cases that reached a verdict, 0 ended in a full acquittal. In 2024, 4 of 12 contested cases that reached a verdict ended in a full acquittal.
A contested case is one where the accused pleads not guilty to at least one charge. Here 5 accused contested and 10 pleaded guilty, a contested share of 33%. All 10 guilty pleas are recorded with a plea agreement. Army records say whether an agreement existed, not what it said.
Long Confinement Terms
Confinement was part of 87% of the 15 convictions. The median term was 1.5 years, longer than the 8 months median for all Army cases in 2025. A quarter of the terms were 5.6 years or longer.
These are adjudged sentences, before any plea-agreement cap, clemency, or appeal. A sentence covers every charge in the case.
The Charges Beside Obstruction
None of the 15 cases charged Article 131b by itself. Article 134 (general article) appeared in 4 cases. Article 120b (child sexual abuse), Article 80 (attempt), and Article 107 (false official statement) each appeared in 3, and Article 120 (sexual assault) in 2.
2025 Compared With 2024
The number of cases fell from 29 to 15. The contested share went from 41% to 33%. The median confinement went from 10 months to 1.5 years. Punitive discharges for convicted enlisted members went from 78% to 83%, and general courts-martial went from 76% to 67%. With groups this small, a few cases can move these figures.
| 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cases | 29 | 15 |
| Contested (of pleas recorded) | 41% | 33% |
| Full acquittals (decided contested) | 4 of 12 | 0 of 5 |
| Convictions with confinement | 88% | 87% |
| Median confinement | 10 months | 1.5 years |
| Punitive discharge (enlisted) | 78% | 83% |
| General courts-martial | 76% | 67% |
Discharges and Dismissals
Of the 12 convicted enlisted members, 10 received a punitive discharge (83%), more often than the 73% for all Army cases in 2025. Of those 10, 6 were dishonorable discharges. All 3 convicted officers or warrant officers were dismissed, the officer equivalent of a punitive discharge.
A More Senior Group
The accused included 3 junior enlisted members (E-1 to E-4), 9 NCOs (E-5 to E-9), and 3 officers or warrant officers. Across all Army cases in 2025, 50% of the accused were junior enlisted.
A military judge alone decided guilt in 11 of 15 cases (73%). Members heard 4: 1 enlisted panel and 3 officer panels. General courts-martial made up 10 of the 15 cases (67%), compared with 66% across the Army. A special court-martial caps confinement at one year and cannot impose a dishonorable discharge.
New Rules in Effect
Since December 28, 2023, special trial counsel, not commanders, decide whether to prosecute covered offenses such as sexual assault, domestic violence, and murder. For offenses after December 27, 2023, the military judge sets the sentence within new sentencing parameters when every guilty finding is for such an offense. The records do not give offense dates, so 2025 trials mix cases under the old and new rules.
What the Records Cannot Show
The records do not describe the evidence or the plea terms. They do not show conduct 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 2025 that charged Article 131b (15 cases), compared with all Army cases that year and with 2024.
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 2024 (previous / next)
- How Has Article 131b Changed in Army Courts-Martial Since 2021? (the full trend)
- Army Article 131b Cases in 2022
- How Army Obstruction Cases Ended in 2021
- Obstruction at Army Courts-Martial, 2023: The Year in Numbers
- How Navy-Marine Corps Obstruction Cases Ended in 2018
- 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.