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 Firearms Sentences in the District of South Carolina, FY2016–2025
1,474 people were sentenced for firearms offenses in the District of South Carolina in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 21% of everyone sentenced there. 96% received a prison term, and the median was 60 months (5 years), higher than the 42 months for this offense type in all 94 districts. Within-range sen
Federal Drug Trafficking Sentences in the District of South Carolina, FY2016–2025
Drug trafficking made up 36% of the 6,874 people sentenced in the District of South Carolina in fiscal years 2016 to 2025: 2,488 people. 2,396 (96%) received a prison term, with a median of 76.5 months (6.4 years), higher than the 60 months for this offense type in all 94 districts. A mandatory mini
Federal National Defense Offense Sentences in the Eastern District of North Carolina, FY2016–2025
In the Eastern District of North Carolina, 11 people were sentenced for national defense offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. 5 (45%) received a prison term, with a median of 70 months (5.8 years), and 6 (55%) received probation only. For all 94 federal districts, the median was 24 months.
Federal Arson Sentences in the Eastern District of North Carolina, FY2016–2025
A mandatory minimum prison term applied to 12 of the 16 people (75%) sentenced for arson in the Eastern District of North Carolina in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. All 16 received a prison term, and the median was 36 months (3 years), compared with 60 months for all 94 federal districts.
Federal Murder Sentences in the Eastern District of North Carolina, FY2016–2025
All 18 people sentenced for murder offenses in the Eastern District of North Carolina in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 received a prison term. The median was 162 months (13.5 years), which is lower than the 240 months for all 94 federal districts. 3 people received a life sentence.
Federal Individual Rights Offense Sentences in the Eastern District of North Carolina, FY2016–2025
Of the 21 people sentenced for individual rights offenses in the Eastern District of North Carolina, 13 (62%) received probation only and 7 (33%) received a prison term, with a median of 2 months. Across all 94 federal districts, 68% were sent to prison, with a median of 30 months.
Federal Obscenity and Other Sex Offense Sentences in the Eastern District of North Carolina, FY2016–2025
In the Eastern District of North Carolina, 27 people were sentenced for obscenity and other sex offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and 26 of them were sentenced under the guideline for failure to register as a sex offender. 25 (93%) received a prison term, with a median of 24 months (2 years).
Federal Commercialized Vice Sentences in the Eastern District of North Carolina, FY2016–2025
Of the 30 people sentenced for commercialized vice offenses in the Eastern District of North Carolina, 26 were sentenced under a gambling guideline. 21 (70%) received a prison term, with a median of 12 months, and all 30 pleaded guilty.
Federal Environmental Offense Sentences in the Eastern District of North Carolina, FY2016–2025
Of the 37 people sentenced for environmental offenses in the Eastern District of North Carolina, 32 (86%) received probation only and 3 (8%) received a prison term. Across all 94 federal districts, 28% of people in this offense type were sent to prison.
Federal Stalking and Harassment Sentences in the Eastern District of North Carolina, FY2016–2025
In the Eastern District of North Carolina, 37 people were sentenced for stalking and harassing offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. 28 (76%) received a prison term, with a median of 23.5 months, and 6 (16%) received probation only.
Federal Bribery and Corruption Sentences in the Eastern District of North Carolina, FY2016–2025
All 38 people sentenced for bribery and corruption offenses in the Eastern District of North Carolina in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 pleaded guilty. 33 (87%) received a prison term, with a median of 18 months, the same as the median for all 94 federal districts.
Federal Administration of Justice Offense Sentences in the Eastern District of North Carolina, FY2016–2025
Of the 38 people sentenced for administration of justice offenses in the Eastern District of North Carolina in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 26 (68%) received a prison term and 10 (26%) received probation only. The median prison term was 12 months, the same as the median for all 94 federal districts.
Go deeper: Military Trial Results (every case, members) · Know Your Judge · Learn Your Lawyer (free)
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