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 Drug Trafficking Sentences in the Middle District of Florida, FY2016–2025
Drug trafficking was 36% of the 13,145 people sentenced in the Middle District of Florida in fiscal years 2016 to 2025: 4,789 people. 98% received a prison term, and the median prison term was 97 months (8.1 years). A mandatory minimum applied to 3,952 of the 4,785 people with that information recor
Federal Individual Rights Offense Sentences in the Eastern District of Virginia, FY2016–2025
Guilty pleas were less common for individual rights offenses in the Eastern District of Virginia than for all offenses in the district. Of 12 people sentenced in fiscal years 2019 to 2025, 7 were convicted after a trial and 5 (42%) pleaded guilty. The median prison term was 73.5 months (6.1 years).
Federal Extortion and Racketeering Sentences in the Eastern District of Virginia, FY2016–2025
The U.S. Sentencing Commission recorded 13 people sentenced for extortion and racketeering offenses in the Eastern District of Virginia in fiscal years 2016 to 2024. Of the 13, 11 (85%) received a prison term, with a median of 24 months (2 years). The most common primary guideline concerned contraba
Federal Kidnapping Sentences in the Eastern District of Virginia, FY2016–2025
All 24 people sentenced for kidnapping offenses in the Eastern District of Virginia in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 received a prison term. The median was 225 months (18.8 years), and 7 people received a life sentence. For all districts, the median for this offense type was 155 months.
Federal Prison Offense Sentences in the Eastern District of Virginia, FY2016–2025
Of the 29 people sentenced for prison offenses in the Eastern District of Virginia in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 21 (72%) were within the guideline range. The median prison term was 12 months for the 27 people (93%) who received prison, and all 29 pleaded guilty.
Federal Obscenity and Other Sex Offense Sentences in the Eastern District of Virginia, FY2016–2025
In fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 32 people were sentenced in the Eastern District of Virginia in the Sentencing Commission's "Obscenity/Other Sex Offenses" category. Of the 32, 31 (97%) received a prison term, with a median of 18 months. Most of these cases were sentenced under a guideline for failure
Federal Stalking and Harassment Sentences in the Eastern District of Virginia, FY2016–2025
In fiscal years 2017 to 2025, 35 people were sentenced in the Eastern District of Virginia for stalking and harassing offenses. The median prison term was 30 months (2.5 years) for the 30 people (86%) sent to prison. Of the 35, 20% were sentenced above the guideline range.
Federal Commercialized Vice Sentences in the Eastern District of Virginia, FY2016–2025
All 35 people sentenced for commercialized vice offenses in the Eastern District of Virginia in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 received a prison term. The median prison term was 21 months, compared with 18 months for all districts. Of the 35, 34 (97%) pleaded guilty.
Federal Forgery, Counterfeiting, and Copyright Sentences in the Eastern District of Virginia, FY2016–2025
Restitution was ordered for 33 of the 37 people (89%) sentenced for forgery, counterfeiting, and copyright offenses in the Eastern District of Virginia in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Of the 37, 33 (89%) also received a prison term, with a median of 12 months. The median for this offense type in all d
Federal Environmental Offense Sentences in the Eastern District of Virginia, FY2016–2025
Most people sentenced for environmental offenses in the Eastern District of Virginia did not go to prison. Of 42 people sentenced in fiscal years 2017 to 2025, 9 (21%) received a prison term and 30 (71%) received probation only. All 42 pleaded guilty.
Federal National Defense Offense Sentences in the Eastern District of Virginia, FY2016–2025
In fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 68 people were sentenced in the Eastern District of Virginia for national defense offenses. The median prison term was 36.5 months for the 44 people (65%) sent to prison, compared with 24 months for all districts. Another 24 people (35%) received probation only.
Federal Administration of Justice Offense Sentences in the Eastern District of Virginia, FY2016–2025
The U.S. Sentencing Commission recorded 83 people sentenced for administration of justice offenses in the Eastern District of Virginia in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. The median prison term was 12 months, the same as for all 94 districts together. Of the 83, 62 (75%) received a prison term and 14 (17%
Go deeper: Military Trial Results (every case, members) · Know Your Judge · Learn Your Lawyer (free)
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