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 Drug Trafficking Sentences in the Middle District of Tennessee, FY2016–2025
In the Middle District of Tennessee, 744 people were sentenced for drug trafficking in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. The median prison term was 72 months (6 years), higher than the 60 months across all 94 federal districts. A mandatory minimum applied to 499 of the 744 people (67%), and 61% were senten
Federal Firearms Sentences in the Middle District of Tennessee, FY2016–2025
Firearms offenses made up 29% of the 2,879 people sentenced in the Middle District of Tennessee in fiscal years 2016 to 2025: 821 people. Of those, 778 (95%) received a prison term, and the median was 50 months (4.2 years). The median across all 94 federal districts for this offense type was 42 mont
Federal Other Offense Sentences in the Western District of Michigan, FY2016–2025
The U.S. Sentencing Commission's "Other" offense type is a catch-all for cases that do not fit its named categories. In the Western District of Michigan, 11 people were sentenced in this type in fiscal years 2017 to 2024. Of them, 8 (73%) received a prison term, and the median prison term was 6 mont
Federal Forgery, Counterfeiting, and Copyright Sentences in the Western District of Michigan, FY2016–2025
All 15 people in the "Forgery/Counter/Copyright" offense type in the Western District of Michigan were sentenced under one guideline, §2B5.1 (Offenses Involving Counterfeit Bearer Obligations of the United States). All 15 received a prison term and all 15 were ordered to pay restitution. The median
Federal Prison Offense Sentences in the Western District of Michigan, FY2016–2025
The Western District of Michigan sentenced 18 people for prison offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2024, and all 18 received a prison term. The median was 16.5 months, compared with 10 months across all 94 federal districts. 17% of the district's sentences were above the guideline range.
Federal Obscenity and Other Sex Offense Sentences in the Western District of Michigan, FY2016–2025
Of the 19 people in the U.S. Sentencing Commission's "Obscenity/Other Sex Offenses" type in the Western District of Michigan, fiscal years 2016 to 2025, all 19 were sentenced under the same guideline, §2A3.5 (Failure to Register as a Sex Offender). All 19 pleaded guilty, and 74% of those pleas had n
Federal Stalking and Harassment Sentences in the Western District of Michigan, FY2016–2025
All 27 people sentenced in the "Stalking/Harassing" offense type in the Western District of Michigan in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 received a prison term. The median prison term was 30 months (2.5 years), compared with 24 months across all 94 federal districts, where 89% of people in this type were s
Federal Tax Offense Sentences in the Western District of Michigan, FY2016–2025
All 30 people sentenced for tax offenses in the Western District of Michigan in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 pleaded guilty, and all 30 had a written plea agreement. Restitution was ordered for 28 (93%). The median prison term was 18 months, compared with 15.1 months across all 94 federal districts.
Federal Environmental Offense Sentences in the Western District of Michigan, FY2016–2025
Prison was uncommon for federal environmental offenses in the Western District of Michigan. Of the 32 people sentenced, 3 (9%) received a prison term and 15 (47%) received probation only, in a record that runs from fiscal year 2016 to 2024. For all 94 federal districts together, 28% of people in thi
Federal Money Laundering Sentences in the Western District of Michigan, FY2016–2025
In the Western District of Michigan, 33 people were sentenced for money laundering in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and 27 (82%) received a prison term. Only 30% of sentences were within the guideline range, and 36% were below it at the government's request. The median prison term was 48 months (4 year
Federal Administration of Justice Offense Sentences in the Western District of Michigan, FY2016–2025
The Western District of Michigan sentenced 45 people in the U.S. Sentencing Commission's "Administration of Justice" offense type in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Of them, 30 (67%) received a prison term and 11 (24%) received probation only. The median prison term was 15 months, compared with 12 months
Federal Assault Sentences in the Western District of Michigan, FY2016–2025
Of the 60 people sentenced for assault in the Western District of Michigan in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 50 (83%) received a prison term and 8 (13%) received probation only. The median prison term was 37 months (3.1 years). Nationally, 90% of people in this offense type were sent to prison, and the
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