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
§2C1.1 Offering, Giving, Soliciting, or Receiving a Bribe: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2016
In fiscal year 2016, 260 people were sentenced in federal court under §2C1.1, "Offering, Giving, Soliciting, or Receiving a Bribe." 209 (80%) received a prison term, and the median prison term was 24 months. Only 51 people (20%) were sentenced within the guideline range.
§2A2.4 Obstructing or Impeding Officers: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2025
In fiscal year 2025, 212 people were sentenced under §2A2.4, "Obstructing or Impeding Officers." 186 (88%) received a prison term, with a median of 12 months. 188 (89%) pleaded guilty, and 34% of those pleas were straight pleas with no written agreement.
§2A2.4 Obstructing or Impeding Officers: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2024
The median prison term under §2A2.4, "Obstructing or Impeding Officers," was 10 months in fiscal year 2024, lower than the 12 months for fiscal years 2016 to 2025 together. 248 people were sentenced, and 205 (83%) received a prison term. 211 (85%) pleaded guilty and 37 were convicted after a trial.
§2A2.4 Obstructing or Impeding Officers: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2023
Of the 246 people sentenced in fiscal year 2023 under §2A2.4, "Obstructing or Impeding Officers," 31 were convicted after a trial and 215 (87%) pleaded guilty. The median prison term was 12 months after a plea and 11.5 months after a trial. Overall, 220 people (89%) received a prison term.
§2A2.4 Obstructing or Impeding Officers: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2022
In fiscal year 2022, 247 people were sentenced under §2A2.4, "Obstructing or Impeding Officers." 134 of them (54%) received a sentence within the guideline range. The median prison term was 12 months, and 235 (95%) pleaded guilty.
§2A2.4 Obstructing or Impeding Officers: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2021
Nearly every person sentenced under §2A2.4, "Obstructing or Impeding Officers," in fiscal year 2021 had pleaded guilty: 173 of 177 (98%). The median prison term was 12 months, and 154 people (87%) received a prison term. Only 4 people were convicted after a trial.
§2A2.4 Obstructing or Impeding Officers: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2020
In fiscal year 2020, 185 people were sentenced in federal court with §2A2.4 as the primary guideline, titled "Obstructing or Impeding Officers." Of those, 157 (85%) received a prison term, and the median prison term was 12 months. 178 of the 185 (96%) pleaded guilty.
§2A2.4 Obstructing or Impeding Officers: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2019
In fiscal year 2019, 181 of the 206 people sentenced under §2A2.4 (88%) received a prison term, with a median of 12 months. Sentences within the guideline range went to 55% (113). The median was 12 months after a guilty plea and 12.5 months after a trial.
§2A2.4 Obstructing or Impeding Officers: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2018
Fiscal year 2018 had 239 people sentenced under §2A2.4, and 25 of them (10%) were convicted after a trial. The median prison term was 12 months after a guilty plea and 18 months after a trial. The plea rate of 90% was lower than in 2017.
§2A2.4 Obstructing or Impeding Officers: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2017
The median prison term under §2A2.4 in fiscal year 2017 was 12 months after a guilty plea and 13 months after a trial. The trial figure covers only 4 people sent to prison. Of the 166 people sentenced, 144 (87%) received prison.
§2A2.4 Obstructing or Impeding Officers: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2016
In fiscal year 2016, 179 people were sentenced in federal court with §2A2.4 as the primary guideline. Prison went to 150 (84%), and the median prison term was 12 months. After a guilty plea the median was 12 months, and after a trial it was 27 months.
§2X4.1 Misprision of Felony: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2025
In fiscal year 2025, 162 people were sentenced under §2X4.1. Of them, 81% were in criminal history category I, the lowest. Prison went to 97 (60%), and probation only went to 61 (38%). The median prison term was 12 months.
Go deeper: Military Trial Results (every case, members) · Know Your Judge · Learn Your Lawyer (free)
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