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. 2422, Coercion and enticement: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Of 2,188 federal defendants whose cases ended under 18 U.S.C. 2422 in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 168 (8%) went to trial, and 4 of those trials (2%) ended in an acquittal. Most defendants, 1,929 (88%), pleaded guilty. Of the 2,093 convicted, 2,090 (more than 99%) received a prison term on this charge
18 U.S.C. 4, Misprision of felony: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
None of the 2,194 federal defendants whose most serious charge at the end of the case was under 18 U.S.C. 4 went to trial in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Of the 2,194, 2,171 (99%) pleaded guilty and 23 (1%) had their cases dismissed. Of those convicted, 1,186 (55%) received a prison term on this charg
21 U.S.C. 843, Prohibited acts C: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Of 2,601 federal defendants whose most serious charge at the end of the case was under 21 U.S.C. 843, 2,485 (96%) were convicted in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Of those convicted, 1,649 (66%) received a prison term on that charge, with a median of 36 months (3 years). Only 19 defendants went to trial
46 U.S.C. 70503, Prohibited acts: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Federal defendants charged under 46 U.S.C. 70503 almost always went to prison. Of the 2,598 convicted in cases that ended in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 2,587 (more than 99%) received a prison term on that charge, and the median term was 96 months (8 years). Most of the 2,681 defendants, 2,539 (95%),
18 U.S.C. 1344, Bank fraud: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
A prison term followed 2,532 of 2,691 convictions (94%) under 18 U.S.C. 1344 in cases that ended in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and the median term was 24 months (2 years). Of all 2,882 defendants, 2,616 (91%) pleaded guilty. Trials were uncommon: 80, with 5 acquittals.
18 U.S.C. 1962, Prohibited activities: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Federal cases under 18 U.S.C. 1962 ended in conviction 98% of the time: 2,869 of 2,933 defendants whose cases closed in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Most convictions came by plea, since 2,679 defendants (91%) pleaded guilty. Of those convicted, 2,746 (96%) received a prison term on this charge, with a
18 U.S.C. 1029, Fraud and related activity in connection with access devices: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Most federal defendants convicted under 18 U.S.C. 1029 were sent to prison: 2,361 of 2,830 (83%), with a median prison term of 26 months (2.2 years) on that charge. Over fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 3,135 defendants had a case end with this as the most serious charge. Of those, 88% pleaded guilty, 10%
18 U.S.C. 751, Prisoners in custody of institution or officer: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Nearly every conviction under 18 U.S.C. 751 led to a prison term on that charge: 2,937 of the 2,990 people convicted (98%), with a median term of 12 months. Over fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 3,190 federal defendants had this section as their most serious charge when the case ended, and 2,974 (93%) ple
18 U.S.C. 111, Assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Of 234 federal trials under 18 U.S.C. 111 that ended in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 70 (30%) ended in an acquittal. Trials were uncommon: 2,630 of the 3,395 defendants (77%) pleaded guilty and 531 (16%) had their cases dismissed. Among the 2,794 convicted, 2,426 (87%) received a prison term on this c
21 U.S.C. 963, Attempt and conspiracy: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
3,693 federal defendants had their cases end in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 with 21 U.S.C. 963 as the most serious charge. 3,094 (84%) pleaded guilty, 541 (15%) had their cases dismissed, and 58 (2%) went to trial. The median prison term among those with a term was 66 months (5.5 years).
18 U.S.C. 2250, Failure to register: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Federal courts closed the cases of 3,709 defendants whose most serious charge was under 18 U.S.C. 2250 in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and 3,437 of them (93%) were convicted. Just 43 went to trial. Of those trials, 20 ended in an acquittal (47%), most of them decided by a judge rather than a jury.
18 U.S.C. 1001, Statements or entries generally: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Federal trials under 18 U.S.C. 1001 ended in acquittal 26% of the time in fiscal years 2016 to 2025: 36 of 139 trials. Trials were uncommon, though. Of 4,273 defendants, 3,840 (90%) pleaded guilty, and 3,943 (92%) were convicted.
Go deeper: Military Trial Results (every case, members) · Know Your Judge · Learn Your Lawyer (free)
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