Did Sexual Assault Cases at Joint Base Lewis-McChord Change After 2024?
Joint Base Lewis-McChord tried 16 Article 120 (sexual assault) cases in 2024–2025. 8 of them were contested, and 6 of the 8 contested cases that reached a verdict ended in a full acquittal, compared with 10 of 22 in 2021–2023.
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Short answer: Joint Base Lewis-McChord tried 16 Article 120 (sexual assault) cases in 2024–2025. 8 of them were contested, and 6 of the 8 contested cases that reached a verdict ended in a full acquittal, compared with 10 of 22 in 2021–2023. The median confinement for a conviction was 1.9 years, compared with 2.1 years Army-wide.
Full Acquittals in Contested Cases
A contested case is one in which the accused pleads not guilty to at least one charge. 8 of the 16 cases were contested and 8 were guilty pleas. The contested share was 50%, lower than the 70% in Army Article 120 cases overall and the 61% at the base in 2021–2023.
6 of the 8 contested cases that reached a verdict ended in a full acquittal. In 2021–2023, 10 of 22 did.
Confinement After a Conviction
All 10 convictions included confinement. The median was 1.9 years, shorter than the 2.1 years in all Army Article 120 cases in 2024–2025 and longer than the 1 year median at the base in 2021–2023. A quarter of the confinement terms were 6.3 years or longer.
6 of 9 convicted enlisted members received a punitive discharge, compared with 73% in 2021–2023. These are adjudged sentences, before any plea-agreement cap, clemency, or appeal.
| 2021–2023 | 2024–2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cases | 36 | 16 |
| Contested (of pleas recorded) | 61% | 50% |
| Full acquittals (decided contested) | 10 of 22 | 6 of 8 |
| Convictions with confinement | 92% | 100% |
| Median confinement | 1 year | 1.9 years |
| Punitive discharge (enlisted) | 73% | 6 of 9 |
| General courts-martial | 94% | 94% |
Who Decided Guilt?
Members decided 3 of the cases with the forum listed, or 23%. All 3 were enlisted panels. A military judge alone decided the other 10.
Rank and Court Level
Junior enlisted members (E-1 to E-4) made up 56% of the accused, NCOs 38%, and officers 6%. Across Army Article 120 cases, junior enlisted members were 43%.
15 cases were tried at a general court-martial and 1 at a special court-martial. The general share was 94%, compared with 97% in all Army Article 120 cases in 2024–2025.
Other Charges in the Same Cases
10 of the 16 cases charged at least one other article. Article 128 (assault) appeared in 5, Article 120c (indecent recording and exposure) in 3, Article 131b (obstruction) in 2, Article 128b (domestic violence) in 2, and Article 129 (burglary and unlawful entry) in 1.
Case Counts and the 2023 Law Change
The 16 cases were tried from February 2024 through October 2025: 10 in 2024 and 6 in 2025. They were 27% of the 60 courts-martial at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in those years. The base had 36 Article 120 cases in 2021–2023, about 12 a year, compared with about 8 a year since.
Article 120 is a covered offense. Since December 28, 2023, special trial counsel, not commanders, decide whether to prosecute covered offenses. For offenses after December 27, 2023, the military judge sets the sentence under new sentencing parameters. The records give trial dates, not offense dates, so these trials include cases under both sets of rules, and the records cannot show whether the changes affected the numbers.
What the Records Leave Out
The records do not show the evidence, the plea terms, or conduct handled outside a court-martial, such as nonjudicial punishment.
For what the offense covers and how it is defended, see Article 120 on the law firm's website. Dates and sources for the law changes: UCMJ change timeline.
How We Counted
Courts-martial tried at Joint Base Lewis-McChord that charged Article 120 (found guilty, not guilty, or both): 2021–2023 (36) and 2024–2025 (16). Comparisons use every Army case charging Article 120 in 2024–2025.
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
- Joint Base Lewis-McChord: Court-Martial Data and Trends (hub)
- Article 120 (Rape and Sexual Assault): Court-Martial Data and Trends (hub)
- By Installation (hub)
- Inside 139 Courts-Martial at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, 2020–2023 (the whole docket)
- Joint Base Lewis-McChord, 2024–2026: Charges, Verdicts, and Sentences in 75 Cases (the whole docket)
- Fewer or More? Sexual Assault Charges at Army Courts-Martial, 2021–2025
- Article 120 at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina Before and After 2019
- Article 120 at Camp Pendleton, California Before and After 2019
- Did Sexual Assault Cases at Yokosuka, Japan Change After 2019?
- Sexual Assault Cases at Jacksonville, Florida: 2013–2018 vs. 2020–2022
- S2 E1: Article 120 Dismissal & the Aftermath (podcast, members)
- Article 120 explained on the law firm's website
Military Judges Who Presided Over Article 120 Cases at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, 2024–2025
- Larry A. Babin Jr.
- Jessica Conn
- Joseph R. Distaso
- Matthew S. Fitzgerald
- Anne C. Hsieh
- Robert E. Murdough
- Alan J. Nef
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.
Compare: federal court. Sexual Abuse of an Adult: Federal Cases vs. Article 120 Courts-Martial
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.