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
§2X3.1 Accessory After the Fact: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2018
Among the 90 people sentenced under §2X3.1 in fiscal year 2018, the median prison term was 27 months (2.2 years) after a guilty plea and 28.5 months after a trial, which are close. Prison went to 69 people (77%), and 41% of sentences were within the guideline range.
§2X3.1 Accessory After the Fact: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2017
In fiscal year 2017, 99 people were sentenced under §2X3.1, and 11 of them were convicted after a trial. The median prison term was 60 months after a trial and 23.5 months after a guilty plea. Overall, 74 people (75%) were sent to prison, with a median of 25 months (2.1 years).
§2X3.1 Accessory After the Fact: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2016
In fiscal year 2016, 82 people were sentenced in federal court with §2X3.1 as the primary guideline. Of those, 62 (76%) received a prison term, and the median prison term was 26.1 months (2.2 years). The U.S. Sentencing Commission's records place these cases in several offense types, with Robbery 17
§2L2.1 Trafficking in a Document Relating to Naturalization, Citizenship, or Legal Resident Status, or a United States Passport: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2025
The median prison term under §2L2.1 in fiscal year 2025 was 5.4 months for the 39 of 53 people sent to prison (74%). That is the lowest yearly median in the table. All 53 people pleaded guilty, and 58% of sentences were within the guideline range.
§2L2.1 Trafficking in a Document Relating to Naturalization, Citizenship, or Legal Resident Status, or a United States Passport: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2024
A small group of 47 people was sentenced under §2L2.1 in fiscal year 2024. Among the 36 sent to prison (77%), the median prison term was 13.5 months, which is higher than the median in fiscal year 2023 and in fiscal year 2025. Of the 47, 42 (89%) pleaded guilty.
§2L2.1 Trafficking in a Document Relating to Naturalization, Citizenship, or Legal Resident Status, or a United States Passport: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2023
Of the 69 people sentenced under §2L2.1 in fiscal year 2023, 57 (83%) received a prison term. That share is higher than the 70% across fiscal years 2016 to 2025 under the same guideline. The median prison term was 10 months, and 67 people (97%) pleaded guilty.
§2L2.1 Trafficking in a Document Relating to Naturalization, Citizenship, or Legal Resident Status, or a United States Passport: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2022
In fiscal year 2022, 26% of the 84 people sentenced under §2L2.1 received a sentence within the guideline range (22 people), while 56% (47) received a sentence below the range at the government's request. Prison went to 59 people (70%), and the median prison term was 10 months.
§2L2.1 Trafficking in a Document Relating to Naturalization, Citizenship, or Legal Resident Status, or a United States Passport: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2021
All 57 people sentenced in fiscal year 2021 under §2L2.1 pleaded guilty, so none was convicted after a trial. Of the 57, 38 (67%) received a prison term, with a median of 12 months. Sentences within the guideline range were 39% of the total.
§2L2.1 Trafficking in a Document Relating to Naturalization, Citizenship, or Legal Resident Status, or a United States Passport: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2020
A total of 71 people were sentenced in fiscal year 2020 with §2L2.1 as the primary guideline, and 46 of them (65%) were sent to prison. The median prison term was 12 months. A guilty plea was entered by 64 people (90%), and 7 were convicted after a trial.
§2L2.1 Trafficking in a Document Relating to Naturalization, Citizenship, or Legal Resident Status, or a United States Passport: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2019
In fiscal year 2019, 78 of 104 people sentenced under §2L2.1 (75%) received a prison term. The median prison term was 10 months. A mandatory minimum applied to 12 people (12%).
§2L2.1 Trafficking in a Document Relating to Naturalization, Citizenship, or Legal Resident Status, or a United States Passport: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2018
Federal courts sentenced 117 people in fiscal year 2018 under §2L2.1. Prison went to 75 of them (64%), the median prison term was 10 months, and 113 (97%) pleaded guilty. The 48% of sentences within the guideline range was close to the 51% for all guidelines that year.
§2L2.1 Trafficking in a Document Relating to Naturalization, Citizenship, or Legal Resident Status, or a United States Passport: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2017
Fiscal year 2017 had the most people sentenced under §2L2.1 in the table: 153. A prison term went to 105 (69%), and the median was 12 months. A mandatory minimum prison term applied to 14 people (9%).
Go deeper: Military Trial Results (every case, members) · Know Your Judge · Learn Your Lawyer (free)
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