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# Obstruction of Justice Sentences in 2018: Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial
- URL: https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-obstruction-sentences-vs-courts-martial-2018/
- Published: 2026-11-03T06:10:18.000Z
- Updated: 2026-11-03T06:10:18.000Z
- Description: For obstruction of justice in 2018, the median court-martial confinement was 12 months across 23 convictions, and the median federal prison term was 18 months for people sentenced under guideline §2J1.2 in fiscal year 2018. In both systems, sentences after a contested case or trial were longer than
- 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: 2018

**In brief:** For obstruction of justice in 2018, the median court-martial confinement was 12 months across 23 convictions, and the median federal prison term was 18 months for people sentenced under guideline §2J1.2 in fiscal year 2018\. In both systems, sentences after a contested case or trial were longer than sentences after a guilty plea. The court-martial contested figure rests on only 2 cases with confinement.

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 136 people sentenced in federal court in fiscal year 2018, 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/).

## Guilty Plea or Trial: Sentences in 2018

At court-martial, convictions by guilty plea carried a median confinement of 5 months, based on 15 cases with confinement. Contested cases that ended in conviction carried a median of 69 months. That contested median comes from just 2 cases, so it says little on its own.

In federal court, people who pleaded guilty received a median prison term of 18 months. People convicted after a trial received a median of 36 months, based on 15 who were sent to prison.

Of 19 court-martial convictions with a plea recorded, 16 (84%) were guilty pleas. In federal court, 119 of 136 people (88%) pleaded guilty, and 17 were convicted after a trial. Among federal guilty pleas, 92% had a written plea agreement and 8% were straight pleas.

## Who Is in Each Count

The court-martial count is 23 convictions for obstruction of justice (Article 131b) with a trial date in calendar year 2018: 11 Navy and 12 Marine Corps. Army records in this data start in 2020, so no Army cases appear here.

The federal count is 136 people sentenced under guideline §2J1.2 in fiscal year 2018\. That fiscal year ran from October 1, 2017 to September 30, 2018\. One count is convictions and the other is people sentenced, and the date ranges differ.

## Overall Confinement and Prison Terms

Confinement was part of 21 of the 23 court-martial sentences (91%). The overall median was 12 months, and a quarter were 27 months or more.

In federal court, 104 of 136 (76%) received a prison term and 22 (16%) received probation only. The median prison term was 18 months. A quarter received 32.2 months or more, and a quarter received 10 months or less.

Court-martial confinement is the sentence adjudged at trial, before clemency or appeal. Federal terms are those the court imposed, not time served.

|                                    | Courts-martial, 2018                | Federal court, FY2018              |
| ---------------------------------- | ----------------------------------- | ---------------------------------- |
| Convictions or people sentenced    | 23                                  | 136                                |
| Sentenced to confinement or prison | 91%                                 | 76%                                |
| Median confinement or prison       | 12 months                           | 18 months                          |
| A quarter received this or more    | 27 months                           | 32.2 months                        |
| Pleaded guilty                     | 16 of 19 with a plea recorded (84%) | 88%                                |
| Mandatory minimum applied          | See the caveats                     | 2 of 136 with the information (1%) |

## Discharges, Officers, and Court Level

Among the 21 enlisted members convicted, 15 (71%) received a punitive discharge: 6 dishonorable and 9 bad-conduct discharges. One officer was convicted, and none was dismissed. Of the 23 convictions, 11 (48%) came at a general court-martial.

## Other Parts of the Federal Sentences

Measured against the guideline range, 37% (50) of federal sentences were within it, 26% (36) were below it at the government's request, 31% (42) were below it without such a request, and 6% (8) were above it.

A mandatory minimum applied to 2 people (1%). Supervised release was ordered for 100 (74%), with a median of 36 months. Fines went to 29 (21%), and restitution to 24 (18%).

In criminal history, 67% were in category I and 6% in category VI. Court-martial records do not track criminal history.

## The Full Period

From 2016 to 2025, the data includes 329 court-martial convictions with a median confinement of 10 months, and 1,256 federal sentences with a median prison term of 18 months. The federal yearly figures appear below.

| 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 Cannot Be Read From This

The 2018 court-martial group is small, and the contested group within it holds 2 sentenced cases. The records cannot show what drove any sentence, what plea agreements contained, or how the underlying conduct compared across the systems.

### How We Counted

Courts-martial with a trial date in 2018 ending in a conviction for obstruction of justice (Article 131b) (23). Federal: people sentenced in fiscal year 2018 under guideline §2J1.2 (obstruction of justice) (136), 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 2017: Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-obstruction-sentences-vs-courts-martial-2017/) (previous or next year)
- [Obstruction of Justice Sentences in 2019: Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-obstruction-sentences-vs-courts-martial-2019/) (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.