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
§2D1.2 Drug Offenses Occurring Near Protected Locations or Involving Underage or Pregnant Individuals: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2022
All 208 people sentenced under §2D1.2 in fiscal year 2022 received a prison term (100%), with a median of 70.2 months. Only 2 were convicted after a trial. A sentence within the guideline range was imposed for 49%, and 34% were below the range at the government's request.
§2D1.2 Drug Offenses Occurring Near Protected Locations or Involving Underage or Pregnant Individuals: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2021
In fiscal year 2021, 249 of the 252 people sentenced under §2D1.2 (99%) pleaded guilty, and 3 were convicted after a trial. The median prison term was 75.4 months, which is 6.3 years. That is higher than the 66.5 months in fiscal year 2020.
§2D1.2 Drug Offenses Occurring Near Protected Locations or Involving Underage or Pregnant Individuals: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2020
A mandatory minimum prison term applied to 295 of the 297 people with that information recorded (more than 99%) in the §2D1.2 cases sentenced in fiscal year 2020. The median prison term was 66.5 months, which is 5.5 years. Of the 297 people, 98% pleaded guilty.
§2D1.2 Drug Offenses Occurring Near Protected Locations or Involving Underage or Pregnant Individuals: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2019
In fiscal year 2019, 281 people were sentenced with §2D1.2 as the primary guideline. Of them, 274 (98%) received prison, 5 (2%) received probation only, and 1 received a life sentence. The median prison term was 70 months.
§2D1.2 Drug Offenses Occurring Near Protected Locations or Involving Underage or Pregnant Individuals: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2018
Fiscal year 2018 had 218 people sentenced under §2D1.2, the fewest of any year from 2016 through 2019 in the yearly table. The median prison term was 70 months, and 97% pleaded guilty. Of the 6 people convicted at trial, the median prison term was 246 months.
§2D1.2 Drug Offenses Occurring Near Protected Locations or Involving Underage or Pregnant Individuals: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2017
In fiscal year 2017, 287 people were sentenced under guideline §2D1.2 as the primary guideline. A sentence within the guideline range was imposed for 56% of them (160), and 26% were below the range at the government's request. The median prison term was 70 months.
§2D1.2 Drug Offenses Occurring Near Protected Locations or Involving Underage or Pregnant Individuals: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2016
In fiscal year 2016, 328 people were sentenced in federal court with §2D1.2 as the primary guideline. The median prison term was 70 months. After a guilty plea it was 67 months, and after a trial it was 168 months, though only 9 people were convicted at trial.
§2G1.3 Promoting a Commercial Sex Act or Prohibited Sexual Conduct with a Minor: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2017
In fiscal year 2017, the median prison term under §2G1.3 was 240 months after a trial and 120 months after a guilty plea. Of the 403 people sentenced, 364 (90%) pleaded guilty and 39 were convicted after a trial.
§2G1.3 Promoting a Commercial Sex Act or Prohibited Sexual Conduct with a Minor: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2016
A mandatory minimum prison term applied to 274 of the 418 people sentenced under §2G1.3 in fiscal year 2016 (66%). The median prison term was 120 months (10 years), and 14% received supervised release for life. 86% pleaded guilty.
§2L2.2 Fraudulently Acquiring Documents Relating to Naturalization, Citizenship, or Legal Resident Status for Own Use: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2025
In fiscal year 2025, 468 of the 529 people sentenced under §2L2.2 (88%) received a sentence within the guideline range, compared with 75% the year before and 51% for all federal cases. The median prison term was 3.3 months, and 99% pleaded guilty.
§2L2.2 Fraudulently Acquiring Documents Relating to Naturalization, Citizenship, or Legal Resident Status for Own Use: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2024
Fiscal year 2024 had 394 people sentenced under §2L2.2, the smallest count in the yearly table. 70% were ordered to serve supervised release, 20% were sentenced above the guideline range, and the median prison term was 4.2 months.
§2L2.2 Fraudulently Acquiring Documents Relating to Naturalization, Citizenship, or Legal Resident Status for Own Use: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2023
In fiscal year 2023, 69 of the 437 people sentenced under §2L2.2 (16%) received a sentence above the guideline range. 73% were within it. The median prison term was 4.2 months, and 97% pleaded guilty.
Go deeper: Military Trial Results (every case, members) · Know Your Judge · Learn Your Lawyer (free)
Get the free newsletter.
Clips, audiograms and the opening of every issue, free.