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# 18 U.S.C. 1503, Influencing or injuring officer or juror generally: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
- URL: https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-statute-18-usc-1503-case-outcomes/
- Published: 2026-11-03T06:56:07.000Z
- Updated: 2026-11-03T06:56:07.000Z
- Description: In fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 125 federal defendants had cases end with a most serious charge under 18 U.S.C. 1503, and 99 of them pleaded guilty (79%). Of the 109 convicted, 93 received a prison term on that charge (85%), with a median of 30 months. Only 13 cases went to trial, and 3 of those ended
- Author: Jocelyn C. Stewart
- Tags: Understanding Trends, Federal

[Trends](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/) › [Federal Prosecution Analysis](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal/) › 18 U.S.C. 1503

**In brief:** In fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 125 federal defendants had cases end with a most serious charge under 18 U.S.C. 1503, and 99 of them pleaded guilty (79%). Of the 109 convicted, 93 received a prison term on that charge (85%), with a median of 30 months. Only 13 cases went to trial, and 3 of those ended in an acquittal (23%).

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

This post uses the Federal Judicial Center's records of 125 federal defendants whose cases ended in fiscal years 2016 to 2025\. The series also draws on the U.S. Sentencing Commission's records of 659,036 people sentenced 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 Pleas Ended Most Cases

Pleas resolved 99 of the 125 cases (79%). The charges were dismissed for 13 defendants (10%), and 13 others went to trial (10%).

Counting pleas and trial verdicts together, 109 of the 125 defendants (87%) were convicted.

A dismissal in these records may be a charge the government asked the court to drop. That can happen after a defendant pleaded guilty in a separate case.

## Where the Numbers Come From

The U.S. Code heading for Title 18, section 1503 reads "Influencing or injuring officer or juror generally." The case counts come from the Federal Judicial Center, using the same method as the federal courts' Table D-4.

A case is placed here when this section was its most serious charge at the end. The source counts every case that ended, not only those that reached sentencing.

## Results of the 13 Trials

Juries decided 12 of the trials and acquitted in 3 (25%). A judge alone decided 1 trial, which did not end in an acquittal (0 of 1).

The 23% acquittal figure covers only these 13 trials. A group this small can show a very different rate from one period to the next.

## Prison Terms on This Charge

Every charge counted here was a felony (100%). Of the 109 people convicted, 93 (85%) received a prison term on this charge.

For terms of 1 month or more, the median was 30 months (2.5 years). The median is the middle term when all terms are lined up by length.

## What Type of Counsel Was Recorded?

CJA panel attorneys represented 57 defendants (46%). A CJA panel attorney is a private lawyer appointed by the court. Private (retained) counsel represented 48 (38%), federal public or community defenders represented 16 (13%), and 1 person was self-represented.

The retained counsel group had 6 trials and 3 acquittals (3 of 6). The CJA panel group also had 6 trials, with 0 acquittals. The federal defender group had no trials, and 25% of its cases were dismissed.

Counsel type is recorded when the case ends. These numbers describe groups of cases, not the quality of lawyers, because people who retain a lawyer and people who receive an appointed one face different charges and circumstances.

| Type of counsel at the end of the case | Defendants | Pleaded guilty | Dismissed | Trials | Acquitted at trial |
| -------------------------------------- | ---------- | -------------- | --------- | ------ | ------------------ |
| Federal public or community defender   | 16         | 75%            | 25%       | 0      | 0                  |
| CJA panel attorney                     | 57         | 81%            | 9%        | 6      | 0 (0 of 6)         |
| Private (retained) counsel             | 48         | 85%            | 2%        | 6      | 3 (3 of 6)         |
| Self-represented                       | 1          | 0 of 1         | 0 of 1    | 1      | 0 (0 of 1)         |

## Fiscal Years 2016 to 2025

Between 10 and 15 cases ended each year. Fiscal year 2017 had 3 trials, and 2 ended in an acquittal. Fiscal year 2019 had 4 trials and no acquittals.

Several years had no trials at all. With yearly counts this low, the table does not show a trend.

| Fiscal year | Cases ended | Pleaded guilty | Dismissed | Trials | Acquitted at trial |
| ----------- | ----------- | -------------- | --------- | ------ | ------------------ |
| 2016        | 15          | 80%            | 13%       | 1      | 0 (0 of 1)         |
| 2017        | 12          | 58%            | 17%       | 3      | 2 (2 of 3)         |
| 2018        | 15          | 87%            | 13%       | 0      | 0                  |
| 2019        | 13          | 54%            | 15%       | 4      | 0 (0 of 4)         |
| 2020        | 13          | 77%            | 15%       | 1      | 0 (0 of 1)         |
| 2021        | 13          | 85%            | 15%       | 0      | 0                  |
| 2022        | 11          | 82%            | 0%        | 2      | 1 (1 of 2)         |
| 2023        | 12          | 92%            | 0%        | 1      | 0 (0 of 1)         |
| 2024        | 10          | 90%            | 10%       | 0      | 0                  |
| 2025        | 11          | 91%            | 0%        | 1      | 0 (0 of 1)         |

## Court-Martial Pairing and Data Limits

The approved crosswalk includes this section in the pairing for obstruction of justice (Article 131b). Separate comparison posts cover that pairing.

These records do not explain any result. They hold no evidence, no case facts, and no reasons for a dismissal or a verdict.

### How We Counted

Every federal defendant whose case ended in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 and whose most serious charge at the end of the case (TTITLE1) was under 18 U.S.C. 1503, any subsection (125), Federal Judicial Center, counted as in the federal courts' Table D-4\. Type of counsel is TCOUNSEL; labels from the FJC criminal codebook. Section heading from the U.S. Code as published by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel (release point 119-136).

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.

**How "plea" and "trial" are counted.** In the federal sentencing numbers, "trial" means the person was convicted after a trial, including people who pleaded guilty to some counts and went to trial on others. People acquitted at trial are not in these numbers at all (see "Who is in each set of numbers"). In the federal case data, the trial rate counts both convictions and acquittals at trial among all defendants whose cases ended, including dismissed cases. Military numbers count contested cases that reached a verdict. These denominators are not the same, and each post states the one it uses.

**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.

**Type of counsel describes groups of cases, not lawyers.** The Federal Judicial Center records the type of counsel at the end of the case. Defendants who hire a lawyer differ from defendants who receive an appointed lawyer in their charges, criminal history, and circumstances, and some defendants change lawyers during a case. Differences in outcomes by type of counsel therefore cannot be credited to the type of lawyer.

## 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/) (comparison with courts-martial)
- [18 U.S.C. 1425, Procurement of citizenship or naturalization unlawfully: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-statute-18-usc-1425-case-outcomes/) (same title of the U.S. Code)
- [18 U.S.C. 1470, Transfer of obscene material to minors: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-statute-18-usc-1470-case-outcomes/) (same title of the U.S. Code)
- [18 U.S.C. 1512, Tampering with a witness, victim, or an informant: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-statute-18-usc-1512-case-outcomes/) (same title of the U.S. Code)
- [18 U.S.C. 1513, Retaliating against a witness, victim, or an informant: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-statute-18-usc-1513-case-outcomes/) (same title of the U.S. Code)
- [Appointed vs. Retained Lawyers in Federal Criminal Cases: How Cases Ended, 2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-appointed-vs-retained-counsel-outcomes/)
- [Are Courts-Martial More Likely to End in Acquittal Than Federal Trials?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-trial-acquittal-rates-vs-courts-martial/)
- [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 Often Are Contested Army Article 131b Cases Acquitted?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/army-article-131b-acq-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)
- [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)
- [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)
- [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.