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
§2A1.4 Involuntary Manslaughter: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2022
The median prison term under §2A1.4 in fiscal year 2022 was 41 months (3.4 years), higher than the 37 months for the guideline across all years and the 30 months for all guidelines that year. 39 people were sentenced, and 37 (95%) went to prison.
§2A1.4 Involuntary Manslaughter: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2021
In fiscal year 2021, the median prison term under §2A1.4 was 18 months, the lowest median in the table for fiscal years 2016 to 2025. 28 people were sentenced, and 27 (96%) were sent to prison. The median for the guideline across all years was 37 months.
§2A1.4 Involuntary Manslaughter: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2020
Fiscal year 2020 had the smallest count in the table for §2A1.4: 26 people. 22 (85%) received a prison term, and the median prison term was 38 months (3.2 years). 4 people (15%) received probation only.
§2A1.4 Involuntary Manslaughter: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2019
47 people were sentenced under §2A1.4 in fiscal year 2019. 44 (94%) received a prison term, and the median prison term was 37 months (3.1 years). 44 pleaded guilty, and 3 were convicted after a trial.
§2A1.4 Involuntary Manslaughter: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2018
Of the 38 people sentenced under §2A1.4 in fiscal year 2018, 23 (61%) received a sentence within the guideline range. This is higher than the 45% for the guideline across fiscal years 2016 to 2025 and the 51% for all guidelines in fiscal year 2018. The median prison term was 37 months.
§2A1.4 Involuntary Manslaughter: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2017
In fiscal year 2017, 43 people were sentenced under §2A1.4. 4 of them (9%) received probation only, and the other 39 (91%) were sentenced to prison. The median prison term was 37 months (3.1 years).
§2A1.4 Involuntary Manslaughter: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2016
In fiscal year 2016, 41 people were sentenced in federal court with §2A1.4 as the primary guideline. 11 of them (27%) received a sentence above the guideline range. 40 people (98%) were sentenced to prison, and the median prison term was 36 months (3 years).
§2B2.1 Burglary of a Residence or a Structure Other than a Residence: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2025
6 of the 34 people sentenced under §2B2.1 in fiscal year 2025 (18%) received probation only. 28 (82%) were sentenced to prison, and the median prison term was 19 months. 33 people (97%) pleaded guilty, and 1 was convicted after a trial.
§2B2.1 Burglary of a Residence or a Structure Other than a Residence: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2024
52 people were sentenced under §2B2.1 in fiscal year 2024. The median prison term was 25.5 months (2.1 years), but a quarter received 50.2 months or more and a quarter received 12 months or less. 46 people (88%) were sentenced to prison.
§2B2.1 Burglary of a Residence or a Structure Other than a Residence: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2023
In fiscal year 2023, the median prison term under §2B2.1 was 26.5 months (2.2 years), the highest median in the table for fiscal years 2016 to 2025. 48 people were sentenced, 44 (92%) received a prison term, and all 48 pleaded guilty.
§2B2.1 Burglary of a Residence or a Structure Other than a Residence: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2022
Fiscal year 2022 had the largest count in the table for §2B2.1: 69 people. 61 (88%) received a prison term, and the median prison term was 24 months (2 years). 69 of 69 pleaded guilty.
§2B2.1 Burglary of a Residence or a Structure Other than a Residence: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2021
54 people were sentenced under §2B2.1 in fiscal year 2021, and the median prison term was 22.5 months. 50 (93%) received a prison term. 28% were sentenced below the guideline range at the government's request, and 46% were within it.
Go deeper: Military Trial Results (every case, members) · Know Your Judge · Learn Your Lawyer (free)
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