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# Article 134 at Norfolk, Virginia Before and After 2019
- URL: https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/norfolk-virginia-article-134-before-after-2019/
- Published: 2026-10-28T06:32:31.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-28T08:05:00.000Z
- Description: Of 26 Article 134 (general article) courts-martial at Norfolk, Virginia from 2019–2023, 40% of those with a plea recorded were contested, compared with 30% in the Navy and Marine Corps as a whole. The median confinement was 1.2 years, compared with 1.5 years service-wide.
- Author: Jocelyn C. Stewart
- Tags: Understanding Trends, Norfolk, Virginia, Article 134, Navy-Marine Corps

[Trends](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/) › [By Installation](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/by-installation/) › [Norfolk, Virginia](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/courts-martial-at-norfolk-virginia/) › Article 134

**Short answer:** Of 26 Article 134 (general article) courts-martial at Norfolk, Virginia from 2019–2023, 40% of those with a plea recorded were contested, compared with 30% in the Navy and Marine Corps as a whole. The median confinement was 1.2 years, compared with 1.5 years service-wide. The accused included 15 NCOs and 4 officers or warrant officers.

Based on 26 cases · 2019–2023 · Navy and Marine Corps records · data updated October 24, 2026

## A Senior Group of Accused

The accused in these cases were 6 junior enlisted members (E-1 to E-4), 15 NCOs (E-5 to E-9), and 4 officers or warrant officers. That mix is more senior than all Navy and Marine Corps Article 134 cases in 2019–2023, where 61% of the accused were junior enlisted.

Of the 3 officers or warrant officers convicted, 2 were dismissed, which is the officer equivalent of a punitive discharge. The records list rank but not duty position, so they cannot show what jobs these service members held.

## More Cases Were Contested

A case is contested when the accused pleads not guilty to at least one charge. Of 25 records listing a plea, 10 were contested and 15 were guilty pleas. The contested share was 40%, compared with 30% in Navy and Marine Corps Article 134 cases overall. In 2013–2018, the contested share at Norfolk was 31%.

Full acquittals came in 1 of 10 contested cases with a verdict (10%). In the rest of the Navy and Marine Corps, the rate was 7%. Partial acquittals, where the accused is acquitted of some charges and convicted of others, came in another 3\. In 2013–2018, 3 of 11 contested cases with a verdict ended in a full acquittal.

## More Sentences at the Short and Long Ends

Confinement was included in 18 sentences (72%) out of 25 cases with a conviction on at least one charge. In the rest of the Navy and Marine Corps, the median was 1.5 years. At Norfolk, it was 1.2 years. A quarter of Norfolk sentences were 3.8 years or longer.

No confinement was adjudged in 28% of convictions here, compared with 11% in all Navy and Marine Corps Article 134 cases. At the other end, 12% of convictions here had 5 years or more, compared with 10%. More than one year was adjudged in 9 of the 25 convictions (36%), compared with 52% across the Navy and Marine Corps. The group from more than 1 year to under 5 years was 24% here and 42% service-wide. All of these are adjudged sentences. Each covers every charge in the case and was imposed before any plea-agreement cap, clemency, or appeal.

| Adjudged confinement            | Convictions | Share here | Share, all Navy and Marine Corps Article 134 cases in 2019–2023 |
| ------------------------------- | ----------- | ---------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- |
| No confinement                  | 7           | 28%        | 11%                                                             |
| Under 6 months                  | 6           | 24%        | 20%                                                             |
| 6 months to 1 year              | 3           | 12%        | 17%                                                             |
| More than 1 year, under 5 years | 6           | 24%        | 42%                                                             |
| 5 years or more                 | 3           | 12%        | 10%                                                             |

## Punitive Discharges for Enlisted Members

For enlisted members, a punitive discharge means a bad-conduct or dishonorable discharge. At Norfolk, 14 of 21 convicted enlisted members received one (67%), and 6 of the 14 were dishonorable. The service-wide share in Article 134 cases was 74%. Norfolk's share was also 67% in 2013–2018\. Members without a punitive discharge can still face administrative separation later.

## Other Charges and Court Level

Article 134 was the only charge in 5 of the 26 cases. In the other cases, orders violations (Article 92) and false official statements (Article 107) were each in 6 cases. Assault (Article 128) and attempts (Article 80) were each in 5\. Burglary under Article 129, which since 2019 also covers unlawful entry, was in 4.

General courts-martial heard 18 of the 26 cases (69%). The rest of the Navy and Marine Corps had 72%. Only a general court-martial can impose a dishonorable discharge or confinement longer than one year. Special courts-martial have a one-year cap.

## 2013–2018 Compared With 2019–2023

In 2013–2018, Norfolk had 36 Article 134 cases, about 6 a year. Since then, there have been about 5 a year, counting full years only. By year, the later cases were 6 (2019), 4 (2020), 11 (2021), 3 (2022), and 2 (2023), with the last trial in February 2023\. That is 13% of all 205 Norfolk courts-martial from 2019–2023.

Median confinement went from 1 year to 1.2 years. Convictions with confinement went from 82% to 72%. The general court-martial share went from 58% to 69%. Punitive discharges for convicted enlisted members were 67% in both periods. Full acquittals went from 3 of 11 to 1 of 10\. Small groups change with a few cases, so these figures show direction, not precise measures.

|                                     | 2013–2018 | 2019–2023 |
| ----------------------------------- | --------- | --------- |
| Cases                               | 36        | 26        |
| Contested (of pleas recorded)       | 31%       | 40%       |
| Full acquittals (decided contested) | 3 of 11   | 1 of 10   |
| Convictions with confinement        | 82%       | 72%       |
| Median confinement                  | 1 year    | 1.2 years |
| Punitive discharge (enlisted)       | 67%       | 67%       |
| General courts-martial              | 58%       | 69%       |

## What the Records Do Not Show

Trial records show the charges, pleas, findings, and sentence. They do not show the evidence, plea terms, offense dates, or conduct handled outside a court-martial, such as nonjudicial punishment. Navy and Marine Corps records before December 2020 often omit the plea, so plea counts use only the records that list one.

For what the offense covers and how it is defended, see [Article 134 on the law firm's website](https://www.ucmj-defender.com/practice-areas/court-martial/article-134/?ref=bodiesburied.com). Dates and sources for the law changes: [UCMJ change timeline](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/ucmj-change-timeline/).

### How We Counted

Courts-martial tried at Norfolk, Virginia that charged Article 134 (found guilty, not guilty, or both): 2013–2018 (36) and 2019–2023 (26). Comparisons use every Navy and Marine Corps case charging Article 134 in 2019–2023.

Source: public court-martial records (Article 140a, UCMJ) in [Military Trial Results](https://www.bodiesburied.com/military-trial-results/), data updated October 24, 2026\. Definitions, sources, and known gaps: [how this data was built](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/how-the-military-trial-results-data-was-built/). Errors: content@bodiesburied.com.

## Related Analysis

- [Norfolk, Virginia: Court-Martial Data and Trends](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/courts-martial-at-norfolk-virginia/) (hub)
- [Article 134 (General Article): Court-Martial Data and Trends](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/article-134-courts-martial/) (hub)
- [By Installation](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/by-installation/) (hub)
- [Norfolk, Virginia, 2013–2018: Charges, Verdicts, and Sentences in 308 Cases](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/norfolk-virginia-courts-martial-2013-2018/) (the whole docket)
- [What Was Tried at Norfolk, Virginia, 2019–2023? 205 Courts-Martial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/norfolk-virginia-courts-martial-2019-2023/) (the whole docket)
- [What Was Tried at Norfolk, Virginia, 2024–2026? 77 Courts-Martial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/norfolk-virginia-courts-martial-2024-2026/) (the whole docket)
- [General Article Cases at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina: 2017–2018 vs. 2019–2023](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/camp-lejeune-north-carolina-article-134-before-after-2019/) (same offense, another installation)
- [General Article Cases at Camp Pendleton, California: 2017–2018 vs. 2019–2023](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/camp-pendleton-california-article-134-before-after-2019/) (same offense, another installation)
- [Is Navy-Marine Corps General Article Prosecution Rising or Falling? Article 134, 2017–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/navy-marine-corps-article-134-trend-2017-2025/)
- [Article 134 explained on the law firm's website](https://www.ucmj-defender.com/practice-areas/court-martial/article-134/?ref=bodiesburied.com)
- [Search every case in Military Trial Results](https://www.bodiesburied.com/military-trial-results/) (members)

## Military Judges Who Presided Over Article 134 Cases at Norfolk, Virginia, 2019–2023

- [Matthew Cox](https://www.bodiesburied.com/judge-matthew-cox/)
- [Glen Hines](https://www.bodiesburied.com/judge-glen-hines/)
- [Hayes Larsen](https://www.bodiesburied.com/judge-hayes-larsen/)
- [Donald Ostrom](https://www.bodiesburied.com/judge-donald-ostrom/)

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](https://www.bodiesburied.com/judges/) 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](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.