Groton, Connecticut, 2013–2017 vs. 2019–2023: A Side-by-Side Look
Groton, Connecticut had 11 courts-martial in 2019–2023, compared with 26 in 2013–2017. The contested share went from 23% to 36%, compared with 31% across the Navy and Marine Corps. The median confinement was 8 months, down from 10 months in the earlier period.
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Trends › By Installation › Groton, Connecticut › Before and after 2019
Short answer: Groton, Connecticut had 11 courts-martial in 2019–2023, compared with 26 in 2013–2017. The contested share went from 23% to 36%, compared with 31% across the Navy and Marine Corps. The median confinement was 8 months, down from 10 months in the earlier period.
Fewer Cases Than in 2013–2017
The 11 cases ran from December 2019 through December 2023: 1 in 2019, 1 in 2020, 4 in 2021, 2 in 2022, and 3 in 2023. In 2013–2017, Groton had 26 cases. Counting full years only, that is about 5 a year earlier and about 2 a year since.
With only 11 cases, 1 case changes each percentage by a large amount. The comparisons below show direction, not precise rates.
| 2013–2017 | 2019–2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cases | 26 | 11 |
| Contested (of pleas recorded) | 23% | 36% |
| Full acquittals (decided contested) | 2 of 6 | 2 of 4 |
| Convictions with confinement | 83% | 7 of 9 |
| Median confinement | 10 months | 8 months |
| Punitive discharge (enlisted) | 91% | 6 of 8 |
| General courts-martial | 65% | 45% |
Pleas and Verdicts
There were 7 guilty pleas and 4 contested cases. A contested case has a plea of not guilty to at least one charge. The contested share was 36%, compared with 23% in 2013–2017 and 31% across the Navy and Marine Corps. Of the 4 contested cases that reached a verdict, 2 ended in a full acquittal.
Sentences and Discharges
Of 9 convictions, 7 included confinement. In 2013–2017, 83% of convictions did. The median confinement went from 10 months to 8 months. Sentences are as adjudged at trial, before any plea-agreement cap, clemency, or appeal.
Of 8 convicted enlisted members, 6 received a punitive discharge, meaning a bad-conduct or dishonorable discharge. In 2013–2017 the share was 91%.
Charges
All 11 records list the charges. Article 134 (the general article), Article 112a (drugs), and Article 128 (assault) each appeared in 3 cases (27%). Across the Navy and Marine Corps, those shares were 18%, 25%, and 31%. Article 120 (rape and sexual assault) appeared in 2 cases (18%). Article 107, Article 131b, Article 92, and Article 120b each appeared in 1.
| UCMJ Article | Cases | Share here | Share, Navy and Marine Corps-wide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art. 134 General article | 3 | 27% | 18% |
| Art. 112a Wrongful use, possession of controlled substances | 3 | 27% | 25% |
| Art. 128 Assault | 3 | 27% | 31% |
| Art. 120 Rape and sexual assault | 2 | 18% | 14% |
| Art. 107 False official statements | 1 | 9% | 8% |
| Art. 131b Obstructing justice | 1 | 9% | 6% |
| Art. 92 Failure to obey order or regulation | 1 | 9% | 18% |
| Art. 120b Rape and sexual assault of a child | 1 | 9% | 7% |
Rank and Court Level
The accused were 8 junior enlisted members (E-1 to E-4), 2 NCOs (E-5 to E-9), and 1 officer or warrant officer. Across the Navy and Marine Corps, 64% of the accused were junior enlisted, so the Groton group was more junior.
There were 5 general courts-martial and 6 special courts-martial. The general share of 45% was about the same as the 44% service-wide and lower than the 65% at Groton in 2013–2017.
Similar Installations
MCAS Yuma, Arizona tried 27 cases in these years and Great Lakes, Illinois tried 34. MCAS Yuma had the same 36% contested share as Groton and a 7 months median confinement. Great Lakes had a 24% contested share and a 5 months median.
| Installation | Cases | Contested | Full acquittals (decided contested) | Median confinement | Punitive discharge (enlisted) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Groton, Connecticut | 11 | 36% | 2 of 4 | 8 months | 6 of 8 |
| MCAS Yuma, Arizona | 27 | 36% | 0 of 4 | 7 months | 58% |
| Great Lakes, Illinois | 34 | 24% | 1 of 8 | 5 months | 55% |
What the Records Leave Out
Cases handled by nonjudicial punishment, administrative separation, or no action are not in these records. The evidence and the plea terms are not described. Navy and Marine Corps records before December 2020 often omit the plea, and the plea counts here use only the records that list one.
Dates and sources for the law changes mentioned here: UCMJ change timeline.
How We Counted
Every court-martial tried at Groton, Connecticut in 2013–2017 (26) and 2019–2023 (11).
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
- Groton, Connecticut: Court-Martial Data and Trends (hub)
- By Installation (hub)
- What Was Tried at Groton, Connecticut, 2013–2017? 26 Courts-Martial
- Inside 11 Courts-Martial at Groton, Connecticut, 2019–2023
- Bremerton, Washington Before and After 2019: How Its Courts-Martial Changed
- Bremerton, Washington Before and After 2024: How Its Courts-Martial Changed
- Great Lakes, Illinois Before and After 2019: How Its Courts-Martial Changed
- Great Lakes, Illinois Before and After 2024: How Its Courts-Martial Changed
- Jacksonville, Florida, 2013–2018 vs. 2019–2023: A Side-by-Side Look
- Search every case in Military Trial Results (members)
Military Judges Who Presided Over Cases at Groton, Connecticut, 2019–2023
Names and links only. Each judge's record of pleas, findings, and sentences is on their Know Your Judge page, part of the Court-Martial Characters membership.
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.