Who Prosecuted Contested Army Article 93 Cases? Trial Counsel Experience, 2023–2025
In 10 of the 13 contested Army maltreatment cases (Article 93) tried from 2023 to 2025, a trial counsel of record is listed, and the most experienced prosecutor had a median of 10.5 prior cases in this data.
Understanding Trends in Military Practice · 5 min read
Trends › Counsel Experience › Article 93, trial counsel
Short answer: In 10 of the 13 contested Army maltreatment cases (Article 93) tried from 2023 to 2025, a trial counsel of record is listed, and the most experienced prosecutor had a median of 10.5 prior cases in this data. Across all 13 cases, 7 ended in a full acquittal (54%), higher than the 40% for all contested Army cases in those years.
Every Listed Team Had at Least 2 Prosecutors
Trial counsel are the prosecutors at a court-martial. Of the 10 cases with a listed trial counsel, 9 named 2 trial counsel of record and 1 named 3 or more. No case in this group had a single prosecutor.
Prior Cases of the Top Prosecutor
The 10 to 19 group was the largest, with 4 of the 10 cases (40%). The 5 to 9 group and the 20 or more group had 2 cases each (20% each).
The 1 to 4 group had 1 case (10%). In 1 other case (10%), no trial counsel of record had a prior case in this data.
| Prior cases (most experienced trial counsel) | Cases | Share |
|---|---|---|
| No prior cases | 1 | 10% |
| 1 to 4 | 1 | 10% |
| 5 to 9 | 2 | 20% |
| 10 to 19 | 4 | 40% |
| 20 or more | 2 | 20% |
Defining a Prior Case
For each lawyer, prior cases are the Army courts-martial before the trial date on which that lawyer was counsel of record in this data, for either side. The count is not a measure of skill. Cases from before the records begin are not in it.
The records do not say who led a team, so each case is placed by its most experienced trial counsel of record. No lawyer is rated or ranked on this page.
Verdict Counts by Prosecutor Experience
These cases were contested: the accused pleaded not guilty to at least one charge. A partial acquittal means not guilty of at least one charge or specification and guilty of another.
In the 10 to 19 group, 2 of 4 cases ended in a full acquittal and 1 of 4 in a partial acquittal. Neither case in the 20 or more group ended in a full acquittal, and both ended in a partial acquittal (2 of 2). The 5 to 9 group had 1 of 2 of each. The 1 case in the 1 to 4 group and the 1 case with no prior prosecution experience each ended in a full acquittal.
These rows hold 4 cases or fewer each. The records do not show the evidence, any plea offers, or who did the work, so the table shows outcomes and not an effect of experience.
| Prior cases (most experienced trial counsel) | Contested cases | Full acquittal | Partial acquittal |
|---|---|---|---|
| No prior cases | 1 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 1 |
| 1 to 4 | 1 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 1 |
| 5 to 9 | 2 | 1 of 2 | 1 of 2 |
| 10 to 19 | 4 | 2 of 4 | 1 of 4 |
| 20 or more | 2 | 0 of 2 | 2 of 2 |
Prosecution Versus Defense Experience
Lawyers are listed on both sides in 10 cases. The most experienced trial counsel had fewer prior cases than the most experienced defense counsel in 6 (60%) and more in 4 (40%).
When and Where the Names Come From
Trials ran from February 2023 to October 2025: 5 in 2023, 5 in 2024, and 3 in 2025.
Army records have nearly complete counsel names from 2021, and this page starts in 2023 so most lawyers have a history of earlier cases. Name variants are merged as on Learn Your Lawyer. The Navy and Marine Corps are not covered, because their records list counsel only from mid-2025 and mostly by surname.
What the Records Leave Out
Special trial counsel, not commanders, have decided since December 28, 2023 whether to prosecute covered offenses such as sexual assault, domestic violence, and murder. A military judge sets the sentence within new sentencing parameters when every guilty finding is for an offense after December 27, 2023. The records list trial dates but not offense dates, so it is not possible to tell which rules applied to the later trials.
The records also do not describe the evidence or plea terms, and they do not include nonjudicial punishment or 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)
- Army Defense Counsel in Contested Article 93 Cases: Prior Cases and Verdicts, 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.