Army Defense Counsel in Contested Article 93 Cases: Prior Cases and Verdicts, 2023–2025
Of 13 contested Army courts-martial charging Article 93 (maltreatment) from 2023 to 2025, 7 ended in a full acquittal (54%), compared with 40% for all contested Army cases in those years.
Understanding Trends in Military Practice · 5 min read
Trends › Counsel Experience › Article 93, defense counsel
Short answer: Of 13 contested Army courts-martial charging Article 93 (maltreatment) from 2023 to 2025, 7 ended in a full acquittal (54%), compared with 40% for all contested Army cases in those years. In the 11 cases that list a defense counsel of record, the most experienced defense lawyer had a median of 10 prior cases in this data.
A Higher Full-Acquittal Rate Than the Army Overall
All 13 cases were contested. In a contested case, the accused pleads not guilty to at least one charge. The accused was acquitted of all charges in 7 of them (54%).
That rate is higher than the 40% for every contested Army case tried in 2023–2025.
Defense Experience in These Cases
Of the 13 cases, 11 list at least one defense counsel of record. In 6 of those 11 (55%), the most experienced defense lawyer had 10 to 19 prior cases in the data. The 1 to 4 group had 3 cases (27%), and the 5 to 9 group had 2 (18%).
No case had a defense lawyer with 20 or more prior cases. Every listed defense team included at least one lawyer with an earlier case in the data. Of the 11 cases, 8 listed 2 defense counsel of record and 3 listed 1.
| Prior cases (most experienced defense counsel) | Cases | Share |
|---|---|---|
| No prior cases | 0 | 0% |
| 1 to 4 | 3 | 27% |
| 5 to 9 | 2 | 18% |
| 10 to 19 | 6 | 55% |
| 20 or more | 0 | 0% |
How the Count Works
A lawyer's count is the number of Army courts-martial, before the trial date, on which that lawyer was counsel of record in this data. Defense and prosecution appearances both count. The number does not measure skill, and it misses cases from before the records begin.
The records do not name a lead lawyer when a team has more than one. So each case is placed by its most experienced defense counsel of record. This page does not rate or rank lawyers.
Full and Partial Acquittals by Group
A partial acquittal is a finding of not guilty of at least one charge or specification and guilty of another. The table covers the 11 contested cases with a listed defense counsel.
In the 10 to 19 group, 2 of 6 cases ended in a full acquittal and 3 of 6 in a partial acquittal. Both cases in the 5 to 9 group ended in a full acquittal (2 of 2). The 1 to 4 group had 1 of 3 full acquittals and 2 of 3 partial acquittals.
With so few cases, the rows can change with a single verdict. The records do not include the evidence, plea offers, or who did the work. The rows describe outcomes, not the effect of experience.
| Prior cases (most experienced defense counsel) | Contested cases | Full acquittal | Partial acquittal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 4 | 3 | 1 of 3 | 2 of 3 |
| 5 to 9 | 2 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 2 |
| 10 to 19 | 6 | 2 of 6 | 3 of 6 |
Comparing the 2 Sides
Both sides have lawyers listed in 10 cases. The most experienced defense lawyer had more prior cases than the most experienced prosecutor in 6 (60%) and fewer in 4 (40%).
Trial Dates and Counsel Names
The 13 trials took place from February 2023 to October 2025, with 5 in 2023, 5 in 2024, and 3 in 2025.
Counsel names in Army records are nearly complete from 2021. The page starts 2 years later so most lawyers already have prior cases in the data. Names spelled more than one way are merged as on Learn Your Lawyer. Navy and Marine Corps records list counsel only from mid-2025, mostly by surname, and are not part of this page.
Law Changes and What Is Not Recorded
Since December 28, 2023, special trial counsel, not commanders, decide whether to prosecute covered offenses such as sexual assault, domestic violence, and murder. When every guilty finding is for an offense after December 27, 2023, the military judge sets the sentence within new sentencing parameters. Both rules depend on the offense date.
The records give trial dates, not offense dates, so trials from 2024 on mix old-rule and new-rule cases. The records also leave out the evidence, the plea terms, nonjudicial punishment, and administrative separation.
Dates and sources for the law changes mentioned here: UCMJ change timeline.
How We Counted
Army courts-martial with trial dates in 2023–2025 that charged Article 93 and had a not-guilty or mixed plea (13 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)
- Article 93 (Cruelty and Maltreatment): Court-Martial Data and Trends (hub)
- Who Prosecuted Contested Army Article 93 Cases? Trial Counsel Experience, 2023–2025
- Army Defense Counsel in Contested Article 107 Cases: Prior Cases and Verdicts, 2023–2026
- Army Defense Counsel in Contested Article 112a Cases: Prior Cases and Verdicts, 2023–2026
- Army Defense Counsel in Contested Article 115 Cases: Prior Cases and Verdicts, 2023–2026
- Army Defense Counsel in Contested Article 120 Cases: Prior Cases and Verdicts, 2023–2026
- Army Defense Counsel in Contested Article 121 Cases: Prior Cases and Verdicts, 2023–2026
- Army Defense Counsel in Contested Article 128 Cases: Prior Cases and Verdicts, 2023–2026
- 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.