Army Courts-Martial, February 2024: The Month in Review
Sentences in the Army's 29 courts-martial of February 2024 were longer than for the year. The median confinement was 1.2 years, compared with 6 months for the Army across 2024. Article 120 (rape and sexual assault) appeared in 31% of cases, compared with 15% for the year.
Understanding Trends in Military Practice · 6 min read
Trends › By Year › February 2024
Short answer: Sentences in the Army's 29 courts-martial of February 2024 were longer than for the year. The median confinement was 1.2 years, compared with 6 months for the Army across 2024. Article 120 (rape and sexual assault) appeared in 31% of cases, compared with 15% for the year. 41% of cases were contested, compared with 27%.
Median Confinement Was Higher Than for the Year
Of 26 convictions, 88% included confinement. The median confinement was 1.2 years, and a quarter of sentences were 3.5 years or more. Across the Army in 2024, the median was 6 months.
12 of 26 convictions (46%) included more than one year of confinement, compared with 28% for the year. 9 sentences were more than 1 year but under 5 years (35%), compared with 21%. 3 sentences (12%) were 5 years or more, compared with 7%. Only 31% were under 6 months, compared with 43% Army-wide.
A general court-martial is the only level that can adjudge more than a year. These are adjudged sentences for every charge in each case, before any plea-agreement cap, clemency, or appeal.
| Adjudged confinement | Convictions | Share here | Share, the Army for all of 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| No confinement | 3 | 12% | 13% |
| Under 6 months | 8 | 31% | 43% |
| 6 months to 1 year | 3 | 12% | 15% |
| More than 1 year, under 5 years | 9 | 35% | 21% |
| 5 years or more | 3 | 12% | 7% |
Sexual Assault, Assault, and Orders Violations
All 29 records list charges, with each article counted once per case. Article 120, Article 128 (assault), and Article 128b (domestic violence) each appeared in 9 cases (31%). Article 120 was higher than its 15% share for 2024. Articles 128 and 128b were each higher than their 23% shares for the year.
Article 92 (failure to obey order or regulation) appeared in 24% of cases, compared with 12%. Article 115 (communicating threats) appeared in 14%, compared with 4%. Article 134 (general article) appeared in 10%, compared with 21%.
| UCMJ Article | Cases | Share here | Share, the Army for all of 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art. 128 Assault | 9 | 31% | 23% |
| Art. 128b Domestic violence | 9 | 31% | 23% |
| Art. 120 Rape and sexual assault | 9 | 31% | 15% |
| Art. 92 Failure to obey order or regulation | 7 | 24% | 12% |
| Art. 115 Communicating threats | 4 | 14% | 4% |
| Art. 131b Obstructing justice | 3 | 10% | 6% |
| Art. 134 General article | 3 | 10% | 21% |
| Art. 120b Rape and sexual assault of a child | 3 | 10% | 9% |
Results and Sentences by Charge
All 9 cases charging Article 128 ended in a conviction on that article. The median confinement for those convictions was 3 years. Article 128b cases ended in a conviction on that article in 8 of 9 cases, with a median of 2 years.
Article 120 cases ended in a conviction on that article in 5 of 9 cases, the lowest among the top charges. The median confinement for those convictions was 5 years. One case can include a conviction on one article and an acquittal on another, so the rows overlap.
| Article | Cases charging it | Convicted of it (share) | Median confinement when convicted of it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art. 128 Assault | 9 | 9 (9 of 9) | 3 years |
| Art. 128b Domestic violence | 9 | 8 (8 of 9) | 2 years |
| Art. 120 Rape and sexual assault | 9 | 5 (5 of 9) | 5 years |
Contested Cases and Partial Acquittals
There were 17 guilty pleas and 12 contested cases (not-guilty or mixed pleas). Of the 17 guilty pleas, 16 are recorded with a plea agreement and 1 has no entry. The records show only that an agreement existed.
Of 12 contested cases that reached a verdict, 3 ended in a full acquittal (25%), compared with 37% for the year. The other 9 ended in a partial acquittal: not guilty of some charges or specifications and guilty of others. Army results record findings charge by charge.
Officers and Punitive Discharges
Officers made up 17% of the accused, with junior enlisted members (E-1 to E-4) at 48% and NCOs at 34%. Across the Army in 2024, junior enlisted were 53%. Of 5 convicted officers or warrant officers, 3 were dismissed.
A punitive discharge followed 71% of enlisted convictions (8 bad-conduct and 7 dishonorable), about the same as the 72% for the year. A sentence without one does not rule out a later administrative separation.
General Courts-Martial and Members
The month had 24 general and 4 special courts-martial, with 1 not listed. General courts-martial made up 86% of cases with a court level listed, compared with 75% for the year. A special court-martial caps confinement at one year and cannot adjudge a dishonorable discharge.
A military judge alone decided 21 of 29 cases (72%). Members heard 8: 7 enlisted panels and 1 officer panel. Among contested cases, members heard 8 of 12 (67%). The accused usually chooses the forum.
Compared With February 2023, and Law Changes
February 2023 had 32 cases. The contested share went from 22% to 41%. The median confinement went from 6 months to 1.2 years. Full acquittals in contested cases that reached a verdict went from 3 of 7 to 3 of 12. The general court-martial share went from 69% to 86%. Punitive discharges for enlisted members were about the same: 70% and 71%.
Since December 28, 2023, special trial counsel, not commanders, decide whether to prosecute covered offenses such as sexual assault, domestic violence, and murder. Military judges sentence under new parameters when all guilty findings involve offenses after December 27, 2023. These changes took effect in the same period. Both depend on offense dates, which the records do not give, so the data cannot show whether they affected these numbers.
| February 2023 | February 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cases | 32 | 29 |
| Contested (of pleas recorded) | 22% | 41% |
| Full acquittals (decided contested) | 3 of 7 | 3 of 12 |
| Convictions with confinement | 86% | 88% |
| Median confinement | 6 months | 1.2 years |
| Punitive discharge (enlisted) | 70% | 71% |
| General courts-martial | 69% | 86% |
Installations and What the Records Do Not Show
Fort Knox, Fort Bragg, and Fort Polk tried 3 cases each, and Fort Bliss and Fort Carson 2 each. Together they had 45% of the month's cases. Larger installations try more cases of all kinds.
Only courtroom outcomes appear here. Cases handled by nonjudicial punishment, administrative separation, or no action are not included. The records do not describe the evidence or the plea terms.
Dates and sources for the law changes mentioned here: UCMJ change timeline.
How We Counted
Army courts-martial with a trial date in February 2024 (29 cases), compared with the whole year.
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
- Army Courts-Martial: Data and Trends (hub)
- By Year (hub)
- January 2024 at Army Courts-Martial: 44 Cases (previous / next)
- What the Army Tried in March 2024 (previous / next)
- The Army Court-Martial Year, 2024 (the whole year)
- April 2023 at Army Courts-Martial: 49 Cases
- April 2024 at Army Courts-Martial: 46 Cases
- Army Courts-Martial, August 2025: The Month in Review
- Army Courts-Martial, December 2024: The Month in Review
- 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.