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
Drug Possession: Courts-Martial at Nellis AFB vs. Federal Court in the District of Nevada
In the District of Nevada, 17 people were sentenced in federal court for simple possession under 21 U.S.C. 844 in fiscal years 2016 to 2023, and 12 of them (71%) received probation only. At Nellis AFB, 16 Air Force courts-martial with trial dates from 2017 to 2023 ended in a conviction for drug poss
Drug Possession: Courts-Martial at Camp Pendleton vs. Federal Court in the Southern District of California
Courts-martial at Camp Pendleton recorded 14 convictions for drug possession (Article 112a wrongful possession) with trial dates from 2017 to 2025. Confinement was part of 13 of those sentences (93%), and the median was 9 months. In the Southern District of California, 107 people were sentenced in f
Drug Possession: Courts-Martial at Camp Lejeune vs. Federal Court in the Eastern District of North Carolina
Of 20 drug possession convictions (Article 112a wrongful possession) at Camp Lejeune courts-martial with trial dates from 2020 to 2023, 18 included confinement (90%), with a median of 9.5 months. In the Eastern District of North Carolina, 208 people were sentenced in federal court for simple possess
Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement: Courts-Martial at Washington Navy Yard vs. Federal Court in the District of Columbia
The 11 courts-martial at Washington Navy Yard that ended in a conviction for sexual offenses against a child (Article 120b), with trial dates from 2016 to 2024, had a median adjudged confinement of 83.9 months. In federal court in the District of Columbia, 27 people were sentenced for child-victim s
Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement: Courts-Martial at San Diego vs. Federal Court in the Southern District of California
In the Southern District of California, 86 people were sentenced in federal court for child-victim sexual abuse, enticement, and travel offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and the median prison term was 75 months. Courts-martial tried at San Diego recorded 22 convictions for sexual offenses again
Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement: Courts-Martial at Norfolk vs. Federal Court in the Eastern District of Virginia
Navy courts-martial at Norfolk produced 14 convictions for sexual offenses against a child (Article 120b) with trial dates from 2016 to 2023, and the median adjudged confinement was 54 months. Federal court in the Eastern District of Virginia sentenced 113 people for child-victim sexual abuse, entic
Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement: Courts-Martial at Marine Corps Base Hawaii vs. Federal Court in the District of Hawaii
At Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, 14 Marine Corps courts-martial with trial dates from 2017 to 2025 ended in a conviction for sexual offenses against a child (Article 120b). The median adjudged confinement was 27 months, and 11 of the 12 convictions with a plea recorded were guilty pleas. Fe
Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement: Courts-Martial at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam vs. Federal Court in the District of Hawaii
Courts-martial at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam recorded 17 convictions for sexual offenses against a child (Article 120b) with trial dates from 2017 to 2025, and the median adjudged confinement was 60 months. In the District of Hawaii, 11 people were sentenced in federal court for child-victim sex
Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement: Courts-Martial at Joint Base Lewis-McChord vs. Federal Court in the Western District of Washington
Joint Base Lewis-McChord courts-martial recorded 14 Article 120b convictions for sexual offenses against a child with trial dates from 2017 to 2025, and the median adjudged confinement was 66 months (5.5 years). Federal court in the Western District of Washington sentenced 58 people for child-victim
Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement: Courts-Martial at Jacksonville vs. Federal Court in the Middle District of Florida
Navy courts-martial tried at Jacksonville, Florida recorded 10 Article 120b convictions for sexual offenses against a child, with trial dates from 2017 to 2025; 4 of the 10 (40%) were guilty pleas, and the median adjudged confinement was 51 months (4.2 years). In the Middle District of Florida, 175
Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement: Courts-Martial at Fort Stewart vs. Federal Court in the Southern District of Georgia
For Article 120b convictions at Fort Stewart, Georgia, with trial dates from 2021 to 2025, the median adjudged confinement was 36 months (3 years) across 12 Army cases. For the 34 people sentenced in the Southern District of Georgia for child-victim sexual abuse, enticement, and travel offenses in f
Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement: Courts-Martial at Fort Polk vs. Federal Court in the Western District of Louisiana
Courts-martial tried at Fort Polk, Louisiana recorded 11 Army convictions under Article 120b for sexual offenses against a child, with trial dates from 2021 to 2025, and the median adjudged confinement was 21.7 months. The Western District of Louisiana sentenced 21 people in federal court for child-
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