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 Other Offense Sentences in the Eastern District of North Carolina, FY2016–2025
Of the 682 people sentenced under the Sentencing Commission's "Other" offense type in the Eastern District of North Carolina in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 562 (82%) received probation only and 77 (11%) received a prison term. The median prison term among those 77 was 0.5 months. A fine was ordered f
Federal Firearms Sentences in the Eastern District of North Carolina, FY2016–2025
Firearms offenses were 22% of the 7,801 people sentenced in the Eastern District of North Carolina in fiscal years 2016 to 2025: 1,697 people. The median prison term was 54 months (4.5 years), compared with 42 months across all 94 districts for this offense type. Sentences were within the guideline
Federal Drug Trafficking Sentences in the Eastern District of North Carolina, FY2016–2025
In the Eastern District of North Carolina, 2,688 people were sentenced for drug trafficking offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, which is 34% of everyone sentenced in the district. The median prison term was 87 months (7.2 years), compared with 60 months for this offense type across all 94 federal
Federal Arson Sentences in the District of New Jersey, FY2016–2025
9 of the 10 people sentenced for arson in the District of New Jersey in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 received a prison term, with a median of 24 months (2 years). The median for arson in all 94 districts was 60 months, which is higher.
Federal Burglary and Trespass Sentences in the District of New Jersey, FY2016–2025
11 people were sentenced for burglary or trespass offenses in the District of New Jersey, all in fiscal years 2022 and 2023. 9 (82%) received a prison term, with a median of 26 months. In all 94 districts, the median for this offense type was 18 months.
Federal Obscenity and Other Sex Offense Sentences in the District of New Jersey, FY2016–2025
All 12 people sentenced in the District of New Jersey under the Commission's "Obscenity/Other Sex Offenses" offense type received a prison term. The median was 24 months (2 years), compared with 18 months for all 94 districts. 10 of the 12 had registration failure as the primary guideline.
Federal Commercialized Vice Sentences in the District of New Jersey, FY2016–2025
7 of the 13 people sentenced for commercialized vice offenses in the District of New Jersey (54%) received a sentence above the guideline range. That is the most distinctive number for this offense type. 11 (85%) received a prison term, with a median of 24 months.
Federal Antitrust Sentences in the District of New Jersey, FY2016–2025
13 people were sentenced for antitrust offenses in the District of New Jersey, all in fiscal years 2016 to 2018. 1 (8%) received a prison term, with a median of 12 months. 11 (85%) received probation only, and all 13 were fined.
Federal Stalking and Harassment Sentences in the District of New Jersey, FY2016–2025
15 people were sentenced in the District of New Jersey for stalking and harassing offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. 13 (87%) received a prison term, with a median of 19.7 months. The median for this offense type in all 94 districts was 24 months.
Federal Other Offense Sentences in the District of New Jersey, FY2016–2025
Of the 16 people sentenced in the District of New Jersey in the Sentencing Commission's "Other" offense type from fiscal year 2016 to fiscal year 2025, 11 (69%) received probation only. 4 (25%) received a prison term, with a median of 12.1 months.
Federal Kidnapping Sentences in the District of New Jersey, FY2016–2025
All 17 people sentenced for kidnapping in the District of New Jersey in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 received a prison term. The median was 144 months (12 years), which is lower than the 155 months for this offense type in all 94 districts. Federal prison terms for kidnapping are long in both sets of n
Federal Forgery, Counterfeiting, and Copyright Sentences in the District of New Jersey, FY2016–2025
21 people were sentenced in the District of New Jersey for forgery, counterfeiting, and copyright offenses in fiscal years 2017 to 2025. 13 (62%) received a prison term, and the median was 18 months, close to the 17.6 months for all 94 districts.
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