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
§2T1.4 Aiding, Assisting, Procuring, Counseling, or Advising Tax Fraud: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2018
Fiscal year 2018 had the largest group in the 2016 to 2025 record for §2T1.4: 195 people. A prison term went to 141 (72%), and the median was 24 months (2 years). A mandatory minimum prison term applied to 21 people (11%).
§2T1.4 Aiding, Assisting, Procuring, Counseling, or Advising Tax Fraud: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2017
In fiscal year 2017, 161 people were sentenced in federal court under §2T1.4, and every guilty plea came with a written plea agreement. A prison term went to 117 people (73%), with a median of 18 months. A mandatory minimum prison term applied to 11 people (7%).
§2T1.4 Aiding, Assisting, Procuring, Counseling, or Advising Tax Fraud: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2016
In fiscal year 2016, 181 people were sentenced in federal court with §2T1.4 as the primary guideline. Of those, 126 (70%) received a prison term, with a median of 24 months. Restitution was ordered for 165 people (91%).
§2B5.1 Offenses Involving Counterfeit Bearer Obligations of the United States: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2025
Fiscal year 2025 had the smallest group in the 2016 to 2025 record for §2B5.1: 40 people. The median prison term was 22.5 months for the 34 people (85%) who were sent to prison. Among the 40, 15% were sentenced above the guideline range.
§2B5.1 Offenses Involving Counterfeit Bearer Obligations of the United States: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2024
In fiscal year 2024, 60 people were sentenced under §2B5.1, the guideline for counterfeit bearer obligations of the United States. A total of 52 (87%) went to prison, and the median prison term was 18 months. A trial conviction applied to 2 people, and 58 (97%) pleaded guilty.
§2B5.1 Offenses Involving Counterfeit Bearer Obligations of the United States: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2023
Under §2B5.1, 67 people were sentenced in federal court in fiscal year 2023, and 48% of them received a sentence within the guideline range. The median prison term for the 55 people sent to prison (82%) was 20 months. This is a small group, and the sections below explain what the numbers do and do n
§2B5.1 Offenses Involving Counterfeit Bearer Obligations of the United States: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2022
In fiscal year 2022, 86 people were sentenced in federal court with §2B5.1 as the primary guideline. Of those, 70 (81%) received a prison term, and the median prison term was 19.5 months. Nearly all of them, 85 of 86 (99%), pleaded guilty.
§2B5.1 Offenses Involving Counterfeit Bearer Obligations of the United States: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2021
Only 98 people were sentenced in federal court in fiscal year 2021 under §2B5.1, "Offenses Involving Counterfeit Bearer Obligations of the United States," a small group. 83 (85%) received prison with a median prison term of 15 months, and restitution was ordered for 65 (66%).
§2B5.1 Offenses Involving Counterfeit Bearer Obligations of the United States: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2020
In fiscal year 2020, 61% of the 160 people sentenced in federal court under §2B5.1, "Offenses Involving Counterfeit Bearer Obligations of the United States," received a sentence within the guideline range. That is higher than the 50% for all guidelines combined in that year. The median prison term w
§2B5.1 Offenses Involving Counterfeit Bearer Obligations of the United States: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2019
In fiscal year 2019, 229 people were sentenced in federal court under §2B5.1, "Offenses Involving Counterfeit Bearer Obligations of the United States." 0 of 229 had a mandatory minimum prison term. The median prison term was 15 months, and restitution was ordered for 144 people (63%).
§2B5.1 Offenses Involving Counterfeit Bearer Obligations of the United States: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2018
Federal courts sentenced 228 people in fiscal year 2018 with §2B5.1, "Offenses Involving Counterfeit Bearer Obligations of the United States," as the primary guideline. 182 (80%) received prison and 33 (14%) received probation only. The median prison term was 18 months.
§2B5.1 Offenses Involving Counterfeit Bearer Obligations of the United States: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2017
In fiscal year 2017, 235 of the 238 people sentenced in federal court under §2B5.1, "Offenses Involving Counterfeit Bearer Obligations of the United States," pleaded guilty. The median prison term was 15 months. The 3 people convicted at trial had a median of 4 months, a figure too small to generali
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