Military Trial Results · Analysis
Understanding Trends in Military Practice
Analysis of real court-martial records: what gets charged, how cases end, what sentences look like, how experienced the lawyers of record were, and what changed when the law did.
Every number is computed from the Military Trial Results data, built from the services' public court-martial records. Each post says how many cases it rests on, the years covered, and how we counted. Read how this data was built before citing it.
Browse the Analysis
- By InstallationBases and regions, by time period
- By OffenseUCMJ articles, rising and falling charges
- By ServiceArmy, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps
- By YearWhat each year and month looked like
- SentencesConfinement, discharges, judge alone vs. members
- Counsel ExperiencePrior cases of the lawyers of record
- Law ChangesBefore and after the major reforms
- Episode CompanionsThe numbers behind podcast episodes
Federal Prosecution Analysis
How do federal prosecutions compare with courts-martial? These posts use the U.S. Sentencing Commission's records of everyone sentenced in federal court and the Federal Judicial Center's records of every federal defendant whose case ended, including dismissals and acquittals, for fiscal years 2016 to 2025. They cover sentences, guilty pleas, trials and acquittals, mandatory minimums, and supervised release, offense by offense. Where a federal crime has a close counterpart in the UCMJ, the post sets the two side by side. Where it doesn't, the post reports the federal numbers on their own. For how military law has moved toward the federal system, start with Military Moves Toward Sentencing Guidelines to Mirror the Federal System.
Latest Analysis
§2D1.8 Renting or Managing a Drug Establishment: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2024
In fiscal year 2024, the §2D1.8 group split evenly between prison and probation: 6 of the 13 people (46%) were sentenced to prison, and 6 (46%) received probation only. All 13 pleaded guilty. The median prison term was 15.7 months.
§2D1.8 Renting or Managing a Drug Establishment: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2023
Of the 15 people sentenced in fiscal year 2023 with §2D1.8 as the primary guideline, 13 (87%) went to prison. The median prison term was 30 months (2.5 years), which is higher than the 16.2-month median for the guideline over fiscal years 2016 to 2025. The group is small, so one year is not a trend.
§2D1.8 Renting or Managing a Drug Establishment: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2022
In fiscal year 2022, 11 of the 22 people sentenced under §2D1.8 (50%) received a sentence below the guideline range at the government's request. Only 5 (23%) were sentenced within the range. The median prison term was 12 months for the 16 people sent to prison.
§2D1.8 Renting or Managing a Drug Establishment: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2021
In fiscal year 2021, 22 people were sentenced in federal court with §2D1.8 as the primary guideline. All 22 pleaded guilty, 16 (73%) received a prison term, and the median prison term was 21 months. The number is small, so it describes one year and not a trend.
§2D1.8 Renting or Managing a Drug Establishment: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2020
In fiscal year 2020, 17 people were sentenced in federal court under §2D1.8. Of the 17, 13 (76%) received prison, with a median term of 16.5 months, close to the 16.2 months for all years combined. All 17 (100%) pleaded guilty, and 3 sentences (18%) were within the guideline range.
§2D1.8 Renting or Managing a Drug Establishment: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2019
In fiscal year 2019, 12 people were sentenced in federal court under §2D1.8, a small group. Of the 12, 11 (92%) received prison, the median prison term was 24 months, and all 12 (100%) pleaded guilty. Because the group is small, the year should not be read as a trend.
§2D1.8 Renting or Managing a Drug Establishment: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2018
In fiscal year 2018, 21 people were sentenced under §2D1.8, and the median prison term was 24 months, higher than the 16.2 months for all years combined. Of the 21, 15 (71%) received prison, and all 21 (100%) pleaded guilty. 8 sentences (38%) were within the guideline range.
§2D1.8 Renting or Managing a Drug Establishment: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2017
In fiscal year 2017, 24 people were sentenced under §2D1.8, the largest count in the 10-year table for this guideline. Of the 24, 18 (75%) received prison, with a median of 15 months, and all 24 (100%) pleaded guilty. No fine was ordered for anyone in the group.
§2D1.8 Renting or Managing a Drug Establishment: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2016
In fiscal year 2016, 19 people were sentenced in federal court with §2D1.8 as the primary guideline, and the median prison term was 12 months. This was the only year in the table with a trial: 1 of the 19 was convicted after a trial, and 18 (95%) pleaded guilty. The median was lower than the 16.2 mo
§2D1.11 Unlawfully Distributing, Importing, Exporting or Possessing a Listed Chemical: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2019
In fiscal year 2019, none of the 27 people sentenced under §2D1.11 received a sentence within the guideline range: 6 (22%) were below it at the government's request and 21 (78%) were below it without a request. The median prison term was 24 months, and 26 people (96%) were sent to prison.
§2D1.11 Unlawfully Distributing, Importing, Exporting or Possessing a Listed Chemical: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2018
In fiscal year 2018, 43 people were sentenced in federal court under §2D1.11. All 43 (100%) received a prison term and pleaded guilty. The median prison term was 30 months, and 5 sentences (12%) were within the guideline range.
§2D1.11 Unlawfully Distributing, Importing, Exporting or Possessing a Listed Chemical: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2017
In fiscal year 2017, all 22 people sentenced under §2D1.11 (100%) received a prison term, and the median was 46 months. 21 (95%) pleaded guilty and 1 was convicted after a trial. 12 sentences (55%) were below the range at the government's request.
Go deeper: Military Trial Results (every case, members) · Know Your Judge · Learn Your Lawyer (free)
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