Navy-Marine Corps Article 134 Cases in 2020
All 48 Navy and Marine Corps courts-martial from 2020 that charged Article 134 (general article) ended in a conviction on at least one charge. Confinement longer than one year was imposed in 31 of the 48 convictions (65%), compared with 26% across all Navy and Marine Corps cases.
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Trends › By Offense › Article 134 › Navy-Marine Corps, 2020
Short answer: All 48 Navy and Marine Corps courts-martial from 2020 that charged Article 134 (general article) ended in a conviction on at least one charge. Confinement longer than one year was imposed in 31 of the 48 convictions (65%), compared with 26% across all Navy and Marine Corps cases. A punitive discharge was imposed in 87% of enlisted convictions, compared with 62% service-wide.
Most Sentences Were Longer Than 1 Year
Confinement longer than one year was imposed in 31 of 48 convictions (65%), compared with 26% for all Navy and Marine Corps cases in 2020. Sentences between 1 and 5 years made up 24 convictions (50%), compared with 20% for the service. Another 7 convictions (15%) had sentences of 5 years or more, compared with 6%.
Shorter sentences were less common. Sentences under 6 months made up 7 convictions (15%), compared with 36% service-wide. The same number had sentences between 6 months and 1 year. Only 3 convictions (6%) included no confinement, compared with 15%.
| Adjudged confinement | Convictions | Share here | Share, all Navy and Marine Corps cases in 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| No confinement | 3 | 6% | 15% |
| Under 6 months | 7 | 15% | 36% |
| 6 months to 1 year | 7 | 15% | 23% |
| More than 1 year, under 5 years | 24 | 50% | 20% |
| 5 years or more | 7 | 15% | 6% |
Median Confinement Was 1.6 Years
All 48 cases ended with a conviction on at least one charge. Of those sentences, 45 included confinement (94%). The median confinement was 1.6 years, compared with 6 months for all Navy and Marine Corps cases in 2020. A quarter of the sentences were 3.8 years or longer.
These are adjudged sentences: the sentences announced at trial, before any plea-agreement cap, clemency, or appeal. Each sentence covers all charges in the case.
Most Cases Were General Courts-Martial
General courts-martial made up 73% of these cases (35 of 48). Special courts-martial made up the other 13. A general court-martial can impose any lawful sentence, including long confinement and a dishonorable discharge. A special court-martial is limited to one year of confinement and cannot impose a dishonorable discharge.
The median confinement was 2 years at general courts-martial and 5 months at special courts-martial. The one-year limit applied to only 13 of the 48 cases.
More Dishonorable Than Bad-Conduct Discharges
Of enlisted convictions, 87% included a punitive discharge: 23 dishonorable discharges and 17 bad-conduct discharges. Across all Navy and Marine Corps cases in 2020, the share was 62%. A dishonorable discharge is more severe than a bad-conduct discharge, and only a general court-martial can impose it.
The records list 2 convicted officers or warrant officers, and 1 was dismissed. A sentence without a punitive discharge does not rule out a later administrative separation.
Other Charges in These Cases
Article 134 was the only charge in 11 of 48 cases. The most common other charges were Article 128 (assault) in 13 cases, Article 120 (sexual assault) and Article 80 (attempt) in 11 each, and Article 92 (orders violation) and Article 120b (child sexual abuse) in 10 each.
The records do not say which Article 134 offense was charged in each case. Sentences cover every charge, so the long sentences here apply to whole cases. Many of those cases included other serious charges.
Few Records List the Plea
Only 14 of the 48 records list the plea. Navy and Marine Corps records before December 2020 often omit it. Of those 14, 11 accused pleaded guilty and 3 contested at least one charge. A contested case is one with a not-guilty or mixed plea. The contested share was 21%, compared with 30% across the service.
The 3 contested cases that reached a verdict all ended with a conviction on at least one charge. With so few recorded pleas, these figures are only a rough guide.
Changes From 2019
Cases fell from 50 to 48. Punitive discharges for convicted enlisted members rose from 74% to 87%. Convictions with confinement rose from 88% to 94%. Median confinement rose slightly, from 1.5 years to 1.6 years. The contested share fell from 36% to 21%, and the general court-martial share fell from 78% to 73%.
In small groups, a few cases can change the figures. These changes show direction, not precise trends.
| 2019 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cases | 50 | 48 |
| Contested (of pleas recorded) | 36% | 21% |
| Full acquittals (decided contested) | 1 of 8 | 0 of 3 |
| Convictions with confinement | 88% | 94% |
| Median confinement | 1.5 years | 1.6 years |
| Punitive discharge (enlisted) | 74% | 87% |
| General courts-martial | 78% | 73% |
Rank and Installations
By rank, the accused included 27 junior enlisted members, 19 NCOs, and 2 officers. That group was more senior than all Navy and Marine Corps cases in 2020.
Camp Pendleton, California tried 9 cases. Camp Lejeune, North Carolina tried 7, Bremerton, Washington 6, and Quantico, Virginia and Norfolk, Virginia 4 each. Those installations account for 62% of the 48 cases. Larger installations try more cases of every kind, so a high count alone does not show a local problem.
What the Records Do Not Show
The records list trial dates, not offense dates. They do not describe the evidence or the plea terms. Conduct handled by nonjudicial punishment or administrative separation is not included.
For what the offense covers and how it is defended, see Article 134 on the law firm's website. Dates and sources for the law changes: UCMJ change timeline.
How We Counted
Navy and Marine Corps courts-martial with a trial date in 2020 that charged Article 134 (48 cases), compared with all Navy and Marine Corps cases that year and with 2019.
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
- Article 134 (General Article): Court-Martial Data and Trends (hub)
- By Year (hub)
- How Navy-Marine Corps General Article Cases Ended in 2019 (previous / next)
- How Navy-Marine Corps General Article Cases Ended in 2021 (previous / next)
- Is Navy-Marine Corps General Article Prosecution Rising or Falling? Article 134, 2017–2025 (the full trend)
- General Article at Navy-Marine Corps Courts-Martial, 2017: The Year in Numbers
- General Article at Navy-Marine Corps Courts-Martial, 2018: The Year in Numbers
- General Article at Navy-Marine Corps Courts-Martial, 2022: The Year in Numbers
- General Article at Navy-Marine Corps Courts-Martial, 2023: The Year in Numbers
- Article 134 explained on the law firm's website
- Search every case in Military Trial Results (members)
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.