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
§2A2.3 Assault: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2022
In fiscal year 2022, 68 people were sentenced in federal court under §2A2.3, "Assault," as the primary guideline. Prison went to 45 (66%), and the median prison term was 6 months. Within the guideline range were 78% of sentences.
§2A2.3 Assault: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2021
In fiscal year 2021, 17% of the 76 people sentenced under §2A2.3, "Assault," received a sentence above the guideline range (13 people). Prison went to 49 (64%), and the median prison term was 6.6 months. A total of 75 (99%) pleaded guilty.
§2A2.3 Assault: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2020
In fiscal year 2020, 78% of the 79 people sentenced under §2A2.3, "Assault," received a sentence within the guideline range (61 people). That is higher than the 50% for all federal cases that year. Prison went to 50 (63%), with a median prison term of 7 months.
§2A2.3 Assault: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2019
The 111 people sentenced in fiscal year 2019 under §2A2.3, "Assault," are the largest yearly count for this guideline from 2016 to 2025. Of those, 68 (61%) received prison, with a median prison term of 7 months. A total of 6 were convicted after a trial.
§2A2.3 Assault: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2018
In fiscal year 2018, the median prison term for the 51 people sent to prison under §2A2.3, "Assault," was 7.1 months, the highest median in the 2016 to 2025 table. A total of 82 people were sentenced, and 51 (62%) received prison. Sentences within the guideline range were 65%.
§2A2.3 Assault: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2017
Federal courts sentenced 105 people in fiscal year 2017 with §2A2.3, "Assault," as the primary guideline. A prison term went to 68 (65%), and the median prison term was 6.7 months. Of the 105, 101 (96%) pleaded guilty, and 4 were convicted after a trial.
§2A2.3 Assault: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2016
In fiscal year 2016, 77 people were sentenced in federal court with §2A2.3, "Assault," as the primary guideline. Of those, 44 (57%) received prison, and the median prison term was 5.8 months. Sentences within the guideline range were 71%, higher than the 49% for all federal cases that year.
§2Q2.1 Offenses Involving Fish, Wildlife, and Plants: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2025
In fiscal year 2025, 90 people were sentenced in federal court under §2Q2.1, "Offenses Involving Fish, Wildlife, and Plants," as the primary guideline. The median prison term was 4.4 months, the lowest median in the 2016 to 2025 table. Prison was imposed on 44 (49%), and 41 (46%) received probation
§2Q2.1 Offenses Involving Fish, Wildlife, and Plants: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2024
In fiscal year 2024, 27 of the 57 people sentenced under §2Q2.1, "Offenses Involving Fish, Wildlife, and Plants," received prison (47%), and 28 (49%) received probation only. The share sent to prison was higher than the 32% for all years 2016 to 2025. The median prison term was 6 months.
§2Q2.1 Offenses Involving Fish, Wildlife, and Plants: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2023
In fiscal year 2023, 67% of the 79 people sentenced under §2Q2.1, "Offenses Involving Fish, Wildlife, and Plants," received a sentence within the guideline range (53 people). That is higher than the 42% for all federal cases that year. The median prison term was 10 months, and 24 people (30%) went t
§2Q2.1 Offenses Involving Fish, Wildlife, and Plants: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2022
Of the 69 people sentenced in fiscal year 2022 with §2Q2.1, "Offenses Involving Fish, Wildlife, and Plants," as the primary guideline, 26 (38%) received a prison term. The median prison term was 7.7 months. All 69 pleaded guilty.
§2Q2.1 Offenses Involving Fish, Wildlife, and Plants: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2021
In fiscal year 2021, 73 people were sentenced under §2Q2.1, "Offenses Involving Fish, Wildlife, and Plants," as the primary federal guideline. A fine was ordered for 48 (66%), and probation only went to 49 (67%). Prison was imposed on 18 (25%), with a median prison term of 6 months.
Go deeper: Military Trial Results (every case, members) · Know Your Judge · Learn Your Lawyer (free)
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