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# Obstruction of Justice Sentences in 2017: Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial
- URL: https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-obstruction-sentences-vs-courts-martial-2017/
- Published: 2026-11-03T06:10:18.000Z
- Updated: 2026-11-03T06:10:18.000Z
- Description: Every 2017 obstruction of justice conviction at court-martial with a plea on record came from a guilty plea: 15 of 15 (100%). Federal court in fiscal year 2017 saw 92% of the 130 people sentenced under guideline §2J1.2 plead guilty. Median confinement at court-martial was 12 months, compared with a
- Author: Jocelyn C. Stewart
- Tags: Understanding Trends, Federal

[Trends](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/) › [Federal Prosecution Analysis](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal/) › [Obstruction of Justice and Perjury](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-obstruction-perjury-vs-courts-martial/) › Obstruction of Justice: 2017

**In brief:** Every 2017 obstruction of justice conviction at court-martial with a plea on record came from a guilty plea: 15 of 15 (100%). Federal court in fiscal year 2017 saw 92% of the 130 people sentenced under guideline §2J1.2 plead guilty. Median confinement at court-martial was 12 months, compared with a median federal prison term of 14 months.

Updated November 3, 2026 · Sources: U.S. Sentencing Commission and Federal Judicial Center, fiscal years 2016–2025 · Military Trial Results

This post uses the U.S. Sentencing Commission's records of 130 people sentenced in federal court in fiscal year 2017, compared with court-martial results from this site's Military Trial Results data (updated November 2, 2026). Acquittals and dismissals come from a second source, the Federal Judicial Center's records of 753,808 federal defendants whose cases ended in fiscal years 2016 to 2025\. It is part of the [Federal Prosecution Analysis](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal/) series, which builds on [Military Moves Toward Sentencing Guidelines to Mirror the Federal System](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/military-sentencing-guidelines-federal-system/). How the numbers were built: [How the Federal Comparison Data Was Built](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-data-methodology/).

## How Often Did Each Group Plead Guilty in 2017?

The military records list 17 convictions for obstruction of justice (Article 131b) with a 2017 trial date. A plea was recorded for 15 of them, and all 15 were guilty pleas. No contested case appears among the 15 with a plea recorded.

On the federal side, 119 of 130 people pleaded guilty, and 11 were convicted after a trial. Most guilty pleas came with a written plea agreement (87%), and 12% were straight pleas with no agreement.

## Confinement at Court-Martial in 2017

Of the 17 convictions, 14 (82%) included confinement. The median adjudged confinement was 12 months. A quarter of the sentences were 40.5 months or more.

Punitive discharges were common. Of the 17 enlisted members convicted, 14 (82%) received one: 4 dishonorable discharges and 10 bad-conduct discharges. General courts-martial handled 9 of the 17 convictions (53%).

By service, the 2017 count was 7 Navy and 10 Marine Corps convictions. Army court-martial records in this data start in 2020, so no Army cases are included.

## Federal Prison Terms in Fiscal Year 2017

A prison term was imposed on 94 of the 130 people (72%), while 16 (12%) received probation only. For those sent to prison, the median term was 14 months. A quarter received 28 months or more, and a quarter received 7 months or less.

People who pleaded guilty had a median prison term of 12.5 months. People convicted at trial had a median of 23.5 months, based on 10 who were sent to prison. That trial group is small.

A mandatory minimum prison term applied to 1 person (less than 1%).

|                                    | Courts-martial, 2017                 | Federal court, FY2017                        |
| ---------------------------------- | ------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------- |
| Convictions or people sentenced    | 17                                   | 130                                          |
| Sentenced to confinement or prison | 82%                                  | 72%                                          |
| Median confinement or prison       | 12 months                            | 14 months                                    |
| A quarter received this or more    | 40.5 months                          | 28 months                                    |
| Pleaded guilty                     | 15 of 15 with a plea recorded (100%) | 92%                                          |
| Mandatory minimum applied          | See the caveats                      | 1 of 130 with the information (less than 1%) |

## How Federal Judges Used the Guideline Range

The guideline range is the sentencing range the federal guidelines call for in a given case. In fiscal year 2017, 35% (46) of these sentences were within that range. Another 35% (45) were below it at the government's request, and 25% (32) were below it without a government request. Only 5% (7) were above it.

After prison, 91 people (70%) were ordered to serve supervised release, with a median term of 36 months. Fines were ordered for 33 (25%), and restitution for 21 (16%). In criminal history, 66% were in category I and 5% in category VI. Court-martial records have no matching field.

## Why the Years Do Not Line Up Exactly

The court-martial count uses the calendar year of the trial date. Federal fiscal year 2017 ran from October 1, 2016 to September 30, 2017\. The groups also differ in what they count: court-martial convictions on one side, and people sentenced under a sentencing guideline on the other.

Court-martial sentences are as adjudged at trial, before clemency or appeal. Federal prison terms are as imposed, not as served.

## Context From 2016 to 2025

Over the full period, the data holds 329 court-martial convictions (median confinement 10 months) and 1,256 people sentenced in federal court (median prison term 18 months). The table below lists the federal figures for each fiscal year.

| Fiscal year | People sentenced | Median prison | Pleaded guilty |
| ----------- | ---------------- | ------------- | -------------- |
| 2016        | 131              | 15 months     | 82%            |
| 2017        | 130              | 14 months     | 92%            |
| 2018        | 136              | 18 months     | 88%            |
| 2019        | 131              | 12 months     | 86%            |
| 2020        | 107              | 12 months     | 91%            |
| 2021        | 85               | 18.3 months   | 86%            |
| 2022        | 111              | 21 months     | 88%            |
| 2023        | 163              | 24 months     | 55%            |
| 2024        | 148              | 27 months     | 80%            |
| 2025        | 114              | 18 months     | 85%            |

## What a Single Year Cannot Show

A total of 17 convictions is a small group, and one year of it is not a trend. The records do not explain why every recorded plea was guilty, what plea terms were offered, or how the conduct in each case compared. They show outcomes only.

### How We Counted

Courts-martial with a trial date in 2017 ending in a conviction for obstruction of justice (Article 131b) (17). Federal: people sentenced in fiscal year 2017 under guideline §2J1.2 (obstruction of justice) (130), U.S. Sentencing Commission.

Federal fiscal years run from October 1 to September 30\. No person, judge, or lawyer is identified in any of these records.

### What to Keep in Mind

**Who is in each set of numbers.** The federal sentencing numbers come from the U.S. Sentencing Commission. They count only people who were convicted and sentenced in federal district court. People whose cases were dismissed or who were acquitted are not in them. The military numbers come from court-martial results, which include acquittals. To compare acquittal or dismissal rates, the federal side uses a different source: the Federal Judicial Center's case data, which counts every defendant whose case ended.

**Different cases reach each system.** Federal prosecutors bring a narrow set of cases. In fiscal year 2024, immigration and drug trafficking cases were 59% of everyone sentenced in federal court (36,664 of 61,678). Many crimes that the military prosecutes, such as most assaults, most sexual assaults between adults, and drug use, are usually state crimes for civilians and reach federal court only in special situations, such as on federal land or in Indian Country. A federal case and a court-martial for the same crime can involve different kinds of facts.

**No parole in federal prison; credit for good conduct.** Federal prison has no parole for crimes committed on or after November 1, 1987\. A federal prisoner can earn up to 54 days of good conduct credit for each year of the sentence the judge imposed, which is about 15%. Some federal prisoners can also earn First Step Act time credits, but many offenses make a person ineligible. The numbers in this post are the sentences judges imposed, not the time people actually served.

**Military confinement credit and parole.** For military sentences adjudged after 2004, good conduct time is 5 days for each month of confinement, about 16%. Military prisoners can also earn up to 8 more days a month for work and programs and up to 2 days a month for special acts, with a limit of 15 days a month in total. Military prisoners can be considered for parole by their service's clemency and parole board. The military numbers in this post are the confinement adjudged at trial, not the time served.

**Military sentences include punishments federal sentences do not.** A court-martial sentence can include a punitive discharge (bad-conduct discharge, dishonorable discharge, or dismissal for officers), reduction in rank, and forfeiture of pay. These have no federal counterpart. A comparison of months of confinement leaves them out. A short confinement term combined with a dishonorable discharge is a heavier sentence than the months alone show.

**Time periods.** Federal numbers are by federal fiscal year (October 1 to September 30), based on the sentencing date. The military numbers are by trial date. Neither source has the date of the offense, so a change in law shows up in either data set gradually.

**Offense categories do not line up exactly.** Each comparison uses a federal offense group chosen to match the military article as closely as possible (see the crosswalk). Some matches are close; others are partial. The post says which federal guideline or statute was used and why it is not an exact match.

## Related Analysis

- [Military Moves Toward Sentencing Guidelines to Mirror the Federal System](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/military-sentencing-guidelines-federal-system/) (the background article)
- [Federal Prosecution Analysis](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal/) (all federal posts)
- [How the Federal Comparison Data Was Built](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-data-methodology/) (sources and method)
- [Obstruction of Justice and Perjury: Federal vs. Court-Martial Sentences](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-obstruction-perjury-vs-courts-martial/) (overview)
- [Obstruction of Justice Sentences in 2016: Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-obstruction-sentences-vs-courts-martial-2016/) (previous or next year)
- [Obstruction of Justice Sentences in 2018: Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-obstruction-sentences-vs-courts-martial-2018/) (previous or next year)
- [Obstruction of Justice Sentences Since the 2023 Military Sentencing Reform: What the Data Shows So Far](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-obstruction-2023-sentencing-reform-so-far/)
- [Obstruction of Justice: Federal Sentences vs. Air Force Courts-Martial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-obstruction-vs-air-force/)
- [Obstruction of Justice: Federal Sentences vs. Army Courts-Martial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-obstruction-vs-army/)
- [Obstruction of Justice: Federal Sentences vs. Marine Corps Courts-Martial, 2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-obstruction-vs-marine-corps/)
- [Obstruction of Justice: Federal Sentences vs. Navy Courts-Martial, 2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-obstruction-vs-navy/)
- [Obstruction of Justice: Courts-Martial at Camp Lejeune vs. Federal Court in the Eastern District of North Carolina](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-obstruction-camp-lejeune-vs-eastern-district-of-north-carolina/)
- [Obstruction of Justice: Courts-Martial at Camp Pendleton vs. Federal Court in the Southern District of California](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-obstruction-camp-pendleton-vs-southern-district-of-california/)
- [Obstruction of Justice: Courts-Martial at Fort Bliss vs. Federal Court in the Western District of Texas](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-obstruction-fort-bliss-vs-western-district-of-texas/)
- [How Has Article 131b Changed in Army Courts-Martial Since 2021?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/army-article-131b-trend-2021-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [How Much Confinement for an Article 131b Conviction in the Army?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/army-article-131b-sent-2021-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [How Often Are Contested Army Article 131b Cases Acquitted?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/army-article-131b-acq-2021-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [Pleading Guilty to Article 131b in the Army: What Sentences Followed?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/army-article-131b-plea-2021-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [Air Force Article 131b Cases by the Numbers, 2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/air-force-article-131b-trend-2016-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [What Sentence Follows an Air Force Obstruction Conviction?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/air-force-article-131b-sent-2016-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [Pleading Guilty to Article 131b in the Air Force: What Sentences Followed?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/air-force-article-131b-plea-2016-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [Is Navy-Marine Corps Obstruction Prosecution Rising or Falling? Article 131b, 2017–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/navy-marine-corps-article-131b-trend-2017-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [How Much Confinement for an Article 131b Conviction in the Navy-Marine Corps?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/navy-marine-corps-article-131b-sent-2017-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [Not Guilty Pleas in Navy-Marine Corps Article 131b Cases: What Happened at Trial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/navy-marine-corps-article-131b-acq-2017-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [Pleading Guilty to Article 131b in the Navy-Marine Corps: What Sentences Followed?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/navy-marine-corps-article-131b-plea-2017-2025/) (court-martial data)
- [Article 131b (Obstruction, Numbered Since 2019): Court-Martial Data and Trends](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/article-131b-courts-martial/) (court-martial data)
- [Article 131b UCMJ: Obstructing Justice](https://www.ucmj-defender.com/practice-areas/court-martial/article-131b/?ref=bodiesburied.com) (law firm reference page)
- [U.S. Sentencing Commission, Individual Offender Datafiles](https://www.ussc.gov/research/datafiles/commission-datafiles?ref=bodiesburied.com) (source)
- [Federal Judicial Center, Integrated Database (criminal defendants)](https://www.fjc.gov/research/idb?ref=bodiesburied.com) (source)

**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](https://www.ucmj-defender.com/?ref=bodiesburied.com). This analysis is for education and information only. It is not legal advice, and every case is different.