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
Federal Immigration Offense Sentences in the District of New Mexico, FY2016–2025
Immigration cases were 77% of the 29,766 people sentenced in the District of New Mexico in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. 23,014 people were sentenced for immigration offenses, and the median prison term was 2.2 months. For all 94 federal districts together, the median for this offense type was 7 months
Federal Kidnapping Sentences in the Southern District of California, FY2016–2025
11 people were sentenced for kidnapping offenses in the Southern District of California in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. All 11 pleaded guilty and received a prison term. The median prison term was 84 months (7 years), which is lower than the 155 months for all 94 federal districts.
Federal Murder Sentences in the Southern District of California, FY2016–2025
14 people were sentenced for murder offenses in the Southern District of California in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. All 14 received a prison term, and 7 received a life sentence. The median prison term was 470 months (39.2 years), compared with 240 months for all 94 federal districts.
Federal Stalking and Harassment Sentences in the Southern District of California, FY2016–2025
17 people were sentenced for stalking and harassment offenses in the Southern District of California in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. 15 (88%) received a prison term, and the median prison term was 8.3 months. All 94 federal districts together report a median of 24 months for this offense type.
Federal Individual Rights Offense Sentences in the Southern District of California, FY2016–2025
18 people were sentenced for individual rights offenses in the Southern District of California in fiscal years 2018 to 2025. 12 (67%) received a prison term, and 6 (33%) received probation only. The median prison term was 1.6 months, which is lower than the 30 months for all 94 federal districts.
Federal National Defense Offense Sentences in the Southern District of California, FY2016–2025
20 people were sentenced for national defense offenses in the Southern District of California in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. All 20 pleaded guilty, and all 20 (100%) received a prison term. The median prison term was 30 months, which is higher than the 24 months for all 94 federal districts.
Federal Forgery, Counterfeiting, and Copyright Sentences in the Southern District of California, FY2016–2025
In the Southern District of California, 23 people were sentenced for forgery, counterfeiting, and copyright offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. 16 (70%) received a prison term and 7 (30%) received probation only. The median prison term was 13.5 months, which is lower than the 17.6 months for all
Federal Extortion and Racketeering Sentences in the Southern District of California, FY2016–2025
The U.S. Sentencing Commission lists 39 people sentenced for extortion and racketeering offenses in the Southern District of California in fiscal years 2016 to 2024. All 39 pleaded guilty, and 37 (95%) received a prison term. The median prison term was 24 months, which is lower than the 30 months fo
Federal Bribery and Corruption Sentences in the Southern District of California, FY2016–2025
In the Southern District of California, 53 people were sentenced for bribery and corruption offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Of the 53, 38 (72%) received a prison term, and the median prison term was 21 months. That median is higher than the 18 months reported for all 94 federal districts, and
Federal Prison Offense Sentences in the Central District of California, FY2016–2025
In fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 11 people were sentenced in the Central District of California for prison offenses, such as escape and contraband. Of those, 10 (91%) received a prison term, with a median of 18 months. In all 94 federal districts, the median for this offense type was 10 months.
Federal Commercialized Vice Sentences in the Central District of California, FY2016–2025
Of the 15 people sentenced for commercialized vice offenses in the Central District of California in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 7 (47%) received a prison term and 6 (40%) received probation only. The median prison term was 3 months, compared with 18 months in all 94 federal districts. Gambling offen
Federal Arson Sentences in the Central District of California, FY2016–2025
All 17 people sentenced for arson in the Central District of California received a prison term. The data cover fiscal years 2018 to 2025. The median prison term was 60 months (5 years), the same as in all 94 federal districts, and a mandatory minimum applied to 14 of the 17 (82%).
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