Did Assault Cases at Norfolk, Virginia Change After 2019?
Mostly not. Norfolk, Virginia tried 76 courts-martial charging Article 128 (assault) in 2019–2023, compared with 122 in 2013–2018.
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Short answer: Mostly not. Norfolk, Virginia tried 76 courts-martial charging Article 128 (assault) in 2019–2023, compared with 122 in 2013–2018. Most measures were about the same: the contested share went from 43% to 45%, median confinement stayed at 6 months, and punitive discharges went from 57% to 59%. The largest change was in court level: general courts-martial fell from 70% to 59% of cases.
The Earlier and Later Periods Were Similar
The 2013–2018 records hold 122 Article 128 cases at Norfolk over 6 years, about 20 a year. Since then, there have been about 15 a year. In the later period, there were 26 cases in 2019, 10 in 2020, 12 in 2021, 16 in 2022, and 12 in 2023. The year with the most cases was 2019.
Most measures were about the same in both periods. Median confinement was 6 months in both. Full acquittals in contested cases that reached a verdict went from 22 of 52 to 15 of 33. Punitive discharges for convicted enlisted members went from 57% to 59%. Convictions with confinement went from 87% to 80%. General courts-martial went from 70% to 59% of cases. Small groups change with a few cases, so these figures show direction, not precision.
| 2013–2018 | 2019–2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cases | 122 | 76 |
| Contested (of pleas recorded) | 43% | 45% |
| Full acquittals (decided contested) | 22 of 52 | 15 of 33 |
| Convictions with confinement | 87% | 80% |
| Median confinement | 6 months | 6 months |
| Punitive discharge (enlisted) | 57% | 59% |
| General courts-martial | 70% | 59% |
Many Assault Cases Were Contested
A case is contested when the accused pleads not guilty to at least one charge. Of 74 records with a plea, 33 were contested and 41 were guilty pleas. The contested share was 45%, compared with 40% in Navy and Marine Corps Article 128 cases overall.
Of the 33 contested cases that reached a verdict, 15 ended in a full acquittal (45%). That is slightly lower than the 49% in the rest of the Navy and Marine Corps. Another 2 ended in a partial acquittal: not guilty of at least one charge and guilty of another.
Sexual Assault Was Often Charged in the Same Case
Article 128 was the only charge in 31 of the 76 cases. In the other cases, Article 120 (sexual assault) was the most common other charge, in 28 cases. Article 120b (child sexual abuse), Article 80 (attempt), and Article 134 (general article) were each charged in 5, and Article 92 (orders violation) in 4.
When an assault charge is next to a sexual assault or domestic violence charge, it can describe part of the same incident. The sentence covers the whole case. These cases made up 37% of the 205 courts-martial at Norfolk in 2019–2023.
Sentences After a Conviction
Of 60 convictions, 48 included confinement. The median confinement was 6 months, the same as in Navy and Marine Corps Article 128 cases overall. A quarter of sentences were 1.5 years or longer.
More sentences were at the short and long ends than service-wide. There was no confinement in 20% of convictions, compared with 14%. Sentences of 5 years or more made up 10%, compared with 5%. Sentences of 6 months to 1 year were less common: 20%, compared with 27%. Sentences longer than one year were adjudged in 14 of 60 (23%), compared with 24%. These are adjudged sentences, before any plea-agreement cap, clemency, or appeal, and each covers every charge in a case.
| Adjudged confinement | Convictions | Share here | Share, Navy and Marine Corps Article 128 cases overall |
|---|---|---|---|
| No confinement | 12 | 20% | 14% |
| Under 6 months | 22 | 37% | 35% |
| 6 months to 1 year | 12 | 20% | 27% |
| More than 1 year, under 5 years | 8 | 13% | 19% |
| 5 years or more | 6 | 10% | 5% |
Punitive Discharges for Enlisted Members and Officers
Of 54 convicted enlisted members, 32 received a punitive discharge: 22 bad-conduct and 10 dishonorable. In the rest of the Navy and Marine Corps, the share was 61%.
There were 6 convicted officers or warrant officers, and none was dismissed. Dismissal is the officer form of a punitive discharge. A sentence without one does not rule out a later administrative separation.
General Courts-Martial and Contested Cases
General courts-martial, which can impose long confinement and a dishonorable discharge, tried 45 of the 76 cases (59%). In the rest of the Navy and Marine Corps, the share was 52%. Of those cases, 65% were contested, and the median confinement was 1.3 years.
Special courts-martial are capped at one year of confinement and cannot impose a dishonorable discharge. Of the 31 special courts-martial, 16% were contested, and the median confinement was 3 months.
A Senior Group of Accused
There were more NCOs (E-5 to E-9) than junior enlisted members: 37 compared with 33. Another 6 were officers or warrant officers. In all Navy and Marine Corps Article 128 cases in 2019–2023, 63% of the accused were junior enlisted.
Rules and What the Records Do Not Show
Assault under Article 128 is not itself a covered offense. A special trial counsel who takes a covered offense can also take related charges, such as an assault tied to a domestic violence allegation.
The records give trial dates, not offense dates. They do not show the evidence or plea terms, and they do not include nonjudicial punishment or administrative separations. Navy and Marine Corps records before December 2020 often omit the plea.
For what the offense covers and how it is defended, see Article 128 on the law firm's website. Dates and sources for the law changes: UCMJ change timeline.
How We Counted
Courts-martial tried at Norfolk, Virginia that charged Article 128 (found guilty, not guilty, or both): 2013–2018 (122) and 2019–2023 (76). Comparisons use every Navy and Marine Corps case charging Article 128 in 2019–2023.
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
- Norfolk, Virginia: Court-Martial Data and Trends (hub)
- Article 128 (Assault): Court-Martial Data and Trends (hub)
- By Installation (hub)
- Norfolk, Virginia, 2013–2018: Charges, Verdicts, and Sentences in 308 Cases (the whole docket)
- What Was Tried at Norfolk, Virginia, 2019–2023? 205 Courts-Martial (the whole docket)
- What Was Tried at Norfolk, Virginia, 2024–2026? 77 Courts-Martial (the whole docket)
- Article 128 at Camp Pendleton, California Before and After 2019 (same offense, another installation)
- Did Assault Cases at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina Change After 2019? (same offense, another installation)
- Navy-Marine Corps Article 128 Cases by the Numbers, 2017–2025
- Article 128 explained on the law firm's website
- Search every case in Military Trial Results (members)
Military Judges Who Presided Over Article 128 Cases at Norfolk, Virginia, 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.
Compare: federal court. Aggravated Assault: Federal Sentences vs. Article 128 Courts-Martial, 2016–2025
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.