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
Federal Individual Rights Offense Sentences in the Southern District of Texas, FY2016–2025
11 people were sentenced in the Southern District of Texas for individual rights offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2024. 7 (64%) received a prison term, with a median of 67 months (5.6 years). 10 (91%) pleaded guilty, and 1 was convicted after a trial.
Federal Burglary and Trespass Sentences in the Southern District of Texas, FY2016–2025
The Southern District of Texas sentenced 12 people for burglary or trespass offenses in the fiscal years the records cover, 2016 to 2024. 10 (83%) received a prison term with a median of 20.6 months, and all 12 pleaded guilty. Most had no written plea agreement: 83% pleaded guilty without one.
Federal Drug Possession Sentences in the Southern District of Texas, FY2016–2025
In the Southern District of Texas, 19 people were sentenced for drug possession in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Only 11 (58%) received a prison term, and 8 (42%) received probation only. The median prison term was 4.6 months, and all 19 pleaded guilty.
Federal Extortion and Racketeering Sentences in the Southern District of Texas, FY2016–2025
From fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 20 people were sentenced in the Southern District of Texas for extortion and racketeering offenses. Among the 19 who received a prison term, the median was 151 months (12.6 years), compared with a median of 30 months for this offense type across all 94 federal distric
Federal Other Offense Sentences in the Southern District of Texas, FY2016–2025
The Southern District of Texas sentenced 33 people in the U.S. Sentencing Commission's "Other" offense type in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. The median prison term was 6 months, and all 33 pleaded guilty. Because "Other" groups unrelated offenses, the numbers do not describe one kind of crime.
Federal Stalking and Harassment Sentences in the Southern District of Texas, FY2016–2025
The Southern District of Texas sentenced 34 people for stalking or harassing offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. The median prison term was 24 months (2 years), the same as the national median. In 50% of cases the sentence was within the guideline range, and 15% were above it.
Federal Forgery, Counterfeiting, and Copyright Sentences in the Southern District of Texas, FY2016–2025
In the Southern District of Texas, 41 people were sentenced for forgery, counterfeiting, or copyright offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Of those, 90% received a prison term, and the median was 28 months (2.3 years). The median across all districts was 17.6 months.
Federal Murder Sentences in the Southern District of Texas, FY2016–2025
The Southern District of Texas sentenced 42 people for murder offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and all 42 received a prison term. The median was 201 months (16.8 years), and 6 received a life sentence. Another 11 people were convicted after a trial.
Federal Commercialized Vice Sentences in the Southern District of Texas, FY2016–2025
The Southern District of Texas sentenced 44 people for commercialized vice offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. The median prison term was 4 months, compared with 18 months across all districts. Gambling was the most common primary guideline, with 34 people.
Federal Environmental Offense Sentences in the Southern District of Texas, FY2016–2025
Of the 51 people sentenced for environmental offenses in the Southern District of Texas in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 55% received a prison term and 43% received probation only. The median prison term was 4.4 months. Most cases, 41, involved fish, wildlife, and plants.
Federal Kidnapping Sentences in the Southern District of Texas, FY2016–2025
All 84 people sentenced for kidnapping in the Southern District of Texas in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 received a prison term. The median was 171 months (14.2 years), compared with 155 months across all districts. After a trial, the median was 454.5 months, based on 6 people.
Federal Tax Offense Sentences in the Southern District of Texas, FY2016–2025
Of the 95 people sentenced for tax offenses in the Southern District of Texas in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 68% received a prison term and 25% received probation only. The median prison term was 15 months, about the same as the national median of 15.1 months. Restitution was ordered for 79%.
Go deeper: Military Trial Results (every case, members) · Know Your Judge · Learn Your Lawyer (free)
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