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
18 U.S.C. 472, Uttering counterfeit obligations or securities: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
In fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 898 federal defendants had their cases end with 18 U.S.C. 472 as the most serious charge, and 811 of them (90%) pleaded guilty. Only 9 (1%) went to trial, and 1 of those 9 trials ended in an acquittal. Of the 819 convicted, 647 (79%) received a prison term on this charg
18 U.S.C. 1952, Interstate and foreign travel or transportation in aid of racketeering enterprises: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Guilty pleas ended 849 of the 900 federal cases (94%) in which 18 U.S.C. 1952 was the most serious charge at the end, over fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Only 15 defendants (2%) went to trial. Of the 859 convicted, 709 (83%) were sentenced to prison on that charge, with a median term of 48 months (4 yea
18 U.S.C. 875, Interstate communications: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Of the 908 federal defendants whose cases under 18 U.S.C. 875 ended in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 60 (7%) went to trial, and 13 of those trials (22%) ended in an acquittal. Judges deciding bench trials acquitted in 8 of 11 cases (73%), while juries acquitted in 5 of 49 (10%). Overall, 793 (87%) were
18 U.S.C. 2423, Transportation of minors: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Among 943 federal defendants whose cases ended under 18 U.S.C. 2423 in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 885 (94%) were convicted, and 880 of the convicted (more than 99%) received a prison term on that charge. The median term was 120 months (10 years), and 22 defendants received life. Of the 77 cases that
18 U.S.C. 1201, Kidnapping: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Federal cases under 18 U.S.C. 1201 went to trial in 191 of 944 defendants' cases (20%) in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Of those 191 trials, 25 (13%) ended in an acquittal. Nearly every conviction brought prison, with a median term of 180 months (15 years), and 80 defendants received life.
18 U.S.C. 1957, Engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
From fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 80 of 953 federal defendants charged mainly under 18 U.S.C. 1957 went to trial (8%), and 6 of those trials ended in an acquittal (8%). Most defendants, 772 (81%), pleaded guilty. Of the 846 convicted, 740 (87%) received a prison term on that charge, with a median of 4
18 U.S.C. 1709, Theft of mail matter by officer or employee: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Most people convicted under 18 U.S.C. 1709 did not receive a prison term on that charge: 164 of the 840 convicted (20%) did, and the median term for them was 6 months. Of 955 federal defendants whose cases ended in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 836 (88%) pleaded guilty and 115 (12%) had their cases dis
18 U.S.C. 3146, Penalty for failure to appear: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Of 956 federal defendants whose most serious charge at the end of the case was under 18 U.S.C. 3146, 418 (44%) had their cases dismissed in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Another 523 (55%) pleaded guilty, and 15 (2%) went to trial. Of the 537 who were convicted, 507 (94%) received a prison term on that
18 U.S.C. 3, Accessory after the fact: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Of 1,032 federal defendants whose most serious charge at the end of the case fell under 18 U.S.C. 3, 994 (96%) pleaded guilty, 35 (3%) had their cases dismissed, and 3 went to trial in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. None of the 3 trials ended in an acquittal. Most of these charges were not felonies: 42%
26 U.S.C. 7201, Attempt to evade or defeat tax: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Of 1,071 federal defendants whose most serious final charge fell under 26 U.S.C. 7201, 1,008 (94%) were convicted in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Of those convicted, 766 (76%) received a prison term on that charge, and the median term was 18 months. Trials ended 76 cases (7%), and 7 of those trials (9
18 U.S.C. 1512, Tampering with a witness, victim, or an informant: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Of 1,078 federal defendants whose most serious charge was under 18 U.S.C. 1512 when their cases ended in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 224 went to trial (21%). Those trials ended in an acquittal 27 times (12%). Overall, 885 defendants (82%) were convicted, and the median prison term on this charge was
18 U.S.C. 554, Smuggling goods from the United States: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Federal records list 1,137 defendants whose cases ended in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 with 18 U.S.C. 554 as the most serious charge. Of those, 1,089 (96%) were convicted, nearly all by guilty plea. Among the 959 who received a prison term on that charge, the median term was 30 months (2.5 years).
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