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 Robbery Sentences in the Western District of Michigan, FY2016–2025
In the Western District of Michigan, 78 people were sentenced for robbery in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and all 78 received a prison term. The median prison term was 79 months (6.6 years), compared with 90 months across all 94 federal districts. After a guilty plea the median was 78 months, and afte
Federal Child Pornography Sentences in the Western District of Michigan, FY2016–2025
A mandatory minimum prison term applied to 68 of the 82 people (83%) sentenced for child pornography (images of child exploitation) offenses in the Western District of Michigan in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. All 82 received a prison term, and the median was 135 months (11.2 years). Across all 94 fede
Federal Sexual Abuse Sentences in the Western District of Michigan, FY2016–2025
The Western District of Michigan sentenced 141 people in the U.S. Sentencing Commission's "Sexual Abuse" offense type in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and all 141 (100%) received a prison term. The median prison term was 265 months (22.1 years), compared with 180 months across all 94 federal districts.
Federal Immigration Offense Sentences in the Western District of Michigan, FY2016–2025
All 450 people sentenced for immigration offenses in the Western District of Michigan in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 pleaded guilty, and 89% of those pleas were straight pleas with no written agreement. The median prison term was 6 months, compared with 7 months across all 94 federal districts. 84% of
Federal Fraud, Theft, and Embezzlement Sentences in the Western District of Michigan, FY2016–2025
In the Western District of Michigan, 498 people were sentenced for fraud, theft, or embezzlement in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Of them, 344 (69%) received a prison term and 122 (24%) received probation only. The median prison term was 24 months, compared with 20 months across all 94 federal district
Federal Firearms Sentences in the Western District of Michigan, FY2016–2025
The Western District of Michigan sentenced 524 people for firearms offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and the median prison term was 57 months (4.8 years). Across all 94 federal districts the median for firearms was 42 months. In this district, 64% of firearms sentences were within the guideline
Federal Drug Trafficking Sentences in the Western District of Michigan, FY2016–2025
In the Western District of Michigan, 920 people were sentenced for drug trafficking in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and the median prison term was 90 months (7.5 years). That is longer than the median of 60 months for drug trafficking across all 94 federal districts. Drug trafficking made up 30% of th
Federal Prison Offense Sentences in the Western District of Kentucky, FY2016–2025
The Western District of Kentucky sentenced 10 people for prison offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2024. All 10 pleaded guilty, and 9 (90%) received a prison term with a median of 12 months. In all 94 districts together, the median for this offense type was 10 months.
Federal Bribery and Corruption Sentences in the Western District of Kentucky, FY2016–2025
The Western District of Kentucky sentenced 11 people for bribery or corruption offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2023. All 11 pleaded guilty. 4 (36%) received a prison term, with a median of 32.5 months, and 4 (36%) received probation only.
Federal Individual Rights Offense Sentences in the Western District of Kentucky, FY2016–2025
The Western District of Kentucky sentenced 14 people for individual rights offenses in fiscal years 2017 to 2025. 9 pleaded guilty (64%) and 5 were convicted after a trial, so trials were much more common than across all offenses in the district, where 97% pleaded guilty. The median prison term was
Federal Obscenity and Other Sex Offense Sentences in the Western District of Kentucky, FY2016–2025
All 17 people sentenced for obscenity or other sex offenses in the Western District of Kentucky in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 pleaded guilty and received a prison term. The median was 18 months, the same as for this offense type in all 94 districts. Most of these cases, 15, involved failure to regist
Federal Stalking and Harassment Sentences in the Western District of Kentucky, FY2016–2025
Of the 17 people sentenced for stalking or harassing offenses in the Western District of Kentucky in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 15 (88%) received a prison term. The median was 30 months, higher than the 24 months for this offense type in all 94 districts. 12 of the 17 were sentenced within the guide
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