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
§2Q2.1 Offenses Involving Fish, Wildlife, and Plants: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2020
In fiscal year 2020, 80 people were sentenced in federal court under §2Q2.1, "Offenses Involving Fish, Wildlife, and Plants," as the primary guideline. The median prison term was 6 months, compared with 18 months for all federal cases that year. Of the 80, 23 (29%) received prison, and 43 (54%) rece
§2Q2.1 Offenses Involving Fish, Wildlife, and Plants: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2019
In fiscal year 2019, 82 people were sentenced in federal court under §2Q2.1, "Offenses Involving Fish, Wildlife, and Plants," as the primary guideline. The median prison term was 5.5 months, and 20 people (24%) received prison. All 82 pleaded guilty.
§2Q2.1 Offenses Involving Fish, Wildlife, and Plants: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2018
The U.S. Sentencing Commission recorded 121 people sentenced under §2Q2.1, "Offenses Involving Fish, Wildlife, and Plants," in fiscal year 2018, the largest yearly count from 2016 to 2025. Prison was imposed on 43 (36%), with a median prison term of 6 months. Probation only went to 67 (55%).
§2Q2.1 Offenses Involving Fish, Wildlife, and Plants: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2017
All 63 people sentenced in federal court in fiscal year 2017 under §2Q2.1, "Offenses Involving Fish, Wildlife, and Plants," pleaded guilty, and none was convicted after a trial. Prison was imposed on 12 (19%), with a median prison term of 5.9 months. Probation only was the result for 41 (65%).
§2Q2.1 Offenses Involving Fish, Wildlife, and Plants: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2016
In fiscal year 2016, 84 people were sentenced in federal court under §2Q2.1, "Offenses Involving Fish, Wildlife, and Plants," as the primary guideline. Probation only was the most common result: 52 people (62%). Of the 84, 20 (24%) received prison, with a median prison term of 10 months.
§2X3.1 Accessory After the Fact: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2025
In fiscal year 2025, 73 people were sentenced in federal court with §2X3.1, "Accessory After the Fact," as the primary guideline. The median prison term was 24 months, the same as for all federal cases that year. Of the 73, 67 (92%) received prison, and 66 (90%) pleaded guilty.
§2X3.1 Accessory After the Fact: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2024
In fiscal year 2024, 90 people were sentenced in federal court under guideline §2X3.1, "Accessory After the Fact," as the primary guideline. The median prison term was 48 months, which is higher than the 30 months for all guidelines that year. Of the 90, 81 (90%) received prison and 80 (89%) pleaded
§2X3.1 Accessory After the Fact: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2023
Of the 82 people sentenced under §2X3.1 in fiscal year 2023, 72 (88%) received a prison term, with a median of 26 months (2.2 years). The 3 people convicted after a trial had a median prison term of 168 months, a figure based on too few people to generalize.
§2X3.1 Accessory After the Fact: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2022
In fiscal year 2022, 97 people were sentenced under §2X3.1 as the primary guideline, and 81 (84%) received a prison term with a median of 30 months (2.5 years). No one had a mandatory minimum prison term, and 9% of sentences were above the guideline range.
§2X3.1 Accessory After the Fact: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2021
Of the 71 people sentenced under §2X3.1 in fiscal year 2021, 63 (89%) received a prison term, and 6 (8%) received probation only. The median prison term was 27.6 months (2.3 years). Only 24% of sentences were within the guideline range.
§2X3.1 Accessory After the Fact: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2020
Fiscal year 2020 had 55 people sentenced under §2X3.1, the smallest group in the yearly table. Prison went to 45 (82%), and the median prison term was 30 months (2.5 years). Only 35% were in the lowest criminal history category.
§2X3.1 Accessory After the Fact: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2019
The median prison term under §2X3.1 in fiscal year 2019 was 36 months (3 years), for the 79 of 88 people sentenced who went to prison (90%). That median is higher than in fiscal year 2018 and fiscal year 2020. Probation only went to 7 people (8%).
Go deeper: Military Trial Results (every case, members) · Know Your Judge · Learn Your Lawyer (free)
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