September 2021 at Army Courts-Martial: 37 Cases
The Army tried 37 courts-martial in September 2021. Of 13 contested cases that reached a verdict, 8 ended in a full acquittal (62%), compared with 35% for the Army across 2021. Sentences for convictions were long.
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Trends › By Year › September 2021
Short answer: The Army tried 37 courts-martial in September 2021. Of 13 contested cases that reached a verdict, 8 ended in a full acquittal (62%), compared with 35% for the Army across 2021. Sentences for convictions were long. The median confinement was 10 months, compared with 6 months for the year, and a quarter of terms were 5 years or longer.
Most Contested Cases Ended in a Full Acquittal
A contested case is one where the accused pleads not guilty to at least one charge. September 2021 had 13 contested cases that reached a verdict. Of those, 8 ended in a full acquittal. That rate, 62%, was much higher than the 35% for the Army that year.
Only 2 contested cases (15%) ended in a partial acquittal: not guilty of at least one charge or specification and guilty of another. Army results report findings charge by charge, so partial acquittals are recorded when they occur.
Long Sentences for Convictions
Of 29 convictions on at least one charge, 22 included confinement (76%). The median confinement was 10 months. A quarter of terms were 5 years or longer. Of these, 1 sentence was life.
Terms of 5 years or more made up 21% of convictions, compared with 8% for the year. In all, 10 of 29 convictions (34%) carried more than one year, compared with 26%. Convictions with no confinement made up 24%, compared with 19%. The month had more sentences at both the long end and the short end. Terms under 6 months made up only 24%, compared with 37% for the year.
These are adjudged sentences that cover every charge in the case. A plea-agreement cap, clemency, or appeal can reduce them later.
| Adjudged confinement | Convictions | Share here | Share, the Army for all of 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| No confinement | 7 | 24% | 19% |
| Under 6 months | 7 | 24% | 37% |
| 6 months to 1 year | 5 | 17% | 17% |
| More than 1 year, under 5 years | 4 | 14% | 18% |
| 5 years or more | 6 | 21% | 8% |
General and Special Courts-Martial
General courts-martial made up 73% of cases (27 of 37). A general court-martial can impose long confinement and a dishonorable discharge. At general courts-martial, 90% of convictions included confinement, with a median of 1.9 years.
There were 10 special courts-martial, which are limited to one year of confinement. At special courts-martial, 4 of 9 convictions included confinement, with a median of 4 months.
Assault and False Statements Charged More Often
All 37 records list charges. Each article counts once per case. Article 128 (assault) was charged in 17 cases (46%, compared with 38%). Article 107 (false official statements) was charged in 22%, compared with 12%. Article 91 (insubordinate conduct toward an NCO) was charged in 11%, compared with 3%.
Article 120 (rape and sexual assault) was charged in 9 cases (24%), lower than the 29% for 2021. Article 134 (general article) was also charged in 9 cases (24%, compared with 21%). Article 121 (larceny) was charged in 11%, compared with 8%.
| UCMJ Article | Cases | Share here | Share, the Army for all of 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art. 128 Assault | 17 | 46% | 38% |
| Art. 120 Rape and sexual assault | 9 | 24% | 29% |
| Art. 134 General article | 9 | 24% | 21% |
| Art. 107 False official statements | 8 | 22% | 12% |
| Art. 92 Failure to obey order or regulation | 6 | 16% | 16% |
| Art. 112a Wrongful use, possession of controlled substances | 5 | 14% | 12% |
| Art. 121 Larceny | 4 | 11% | 8% |
| Art. 91 Insubordinate conduct toward NCO | 4 | 11% | 3% |
Results for the Most Common Charges
Article 107 had the highest conviction rate on the same article: 7 of 8 cases, with a median confinement of 4 months. Assault cases ended in a conviction in 12 of 17 (71%), with a median of 10 months. Article 134 cases ended in a conviction in 6 of 9, with a median of 1.9 years.
Article 120 had the lowest conviction rate, 4 of 9. Those convictions had a median of 4.8 years. The rows overlap because one case can include convictions and acquittals on different articles.
| Article | Cases charging it | Convicted of it (share) | Median confinement when convicted of it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art. 128 Assault | 17 | 12 (71%) | 10 months |
| Art. 120 Rape and sexual assault | 9 | 4 (4 of 9) | 4.8 years |
| Art. 134 General article | 9 | 6 (6 of 9) | 1.9 years |
| Art. 107 False official statements | 8 | 7 (7 of 8) | 4 months |
Pleas, Agreements, and Panels
Of 37 cases, 24 were guilty pleas and 13 were contested. The contested share was 35%, about the same as the 36% for the year. Plea agreements are recorded for 23 of the 24 guilty pleas, and 1 has no entry. The records show whether an agreement existed but not its terms.
A military judge alone decided 27 cases. Of cases with a forum listed, members heard 25%: 8 enlisted panels and 1 officer panel. Members heard 9 of 12 contested cases (75%). The accused usually chooses between a judge and members.
Discharges and Rank
Of 27 convicted enlisted members, 19 received a bad-conduct or dishonorable discharge (70%), the same share as the Army for the year. Of those 19, 7 were dishonorable discharges. Both convicted officers or warrant officers were dismissed. A sentence without a punitive discharge does not rule out a later administrative separation.
The accused were 18 junior enlisted members, 17 NCOs, and 2 officers. This group was more senior than the Army for 2021.
Where Cases Were Tried
Fort Bragg tried 4 cases. Fort Carson, Fort Bliss, Fort Stewart, and Wheeler Army Airfield tried 3 each. Together these installations account for 43% of the month. Larger installations try more cases of every type.
Early Records and Their Limits
Article 140a required the services to begin publishing trial records by December 2020. Army records in this data are sparse before 2021. The records show charges, pleas, findings, and sentences. They do not show the evidence, the plea terms, or conduct handled outside a court-martial.
Dates and sources for the law changes mentioned here: UCMJ change timeline.
How We Counted
Army courts-martial with a trial date in September 2021 (37 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)
- August 2021 at Army Courts-Martial: 35 Cases (previous / next)
- October 2021 at Army Courts-Martial: 36 Cases (previous / next)
- How 2021 Went at Army Courts-Martial (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.