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
Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement Sentences in 2020: Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial
Federal court sentenced 386 people for child-victim sexual abuse, enticement, and travel offenses in fiscal year 2020, the lowest yearly count from 2016 to 2025, and the median prison term was 120 months (10 years). Courts-martial with 2020 trial dates recorded 46 convictions for sexual offenses aga
Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement Sentences in 2019: Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial
The 53 court-martial convictions for child sexual offenses in 2019 had a median adjudged confinement of 43.2 months (3.6 years). The 495 people sentenced in federal court for child-victim sexual abuse, enticement, and travel offenses in fiscal year 2019 had a median prison term of 120 months (10 yea
Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement Sentences in 2018: Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial
Courts-martial recorded 80 convictions for sexual offenses against a child in 2018, and 74 of them (93%) included confinement, with a median of 29.8 months (2.5 years). In fiscal year 2018, federal court sentenced 499 people for child-victim sexual abuse, enticement, and travel offenses; 98% receive
Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement Sentences in 2017: Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial
In 2017, 36 of the 48 court-martial convictions for child sexual offenses with a plea recorded (75%) were guilty pleas, and the median adjudged confinement for all 69 convictions was 36 months (3 years). Federal court sentenced 494 people for child-victim sexual abuse, enticement, and travel offense
Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement Sentences in 2016: Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial
Courts-martial with trial dates in 2016 produced 34 convictions for sexual offenses against a child, and the median adjudged confinement was 22.8 months. In federal court, 503 people were sentenced for child-victim sexual abuse, enticement, and travel offenses in fiscal year 2016, and the median pri
Sexual Abuse of an Adult Sentences in 2025: Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial
The median federal prison term for sexual abuse of an adult in fiscal year 2025 was 90 months (7.5 years), across 53 people sentenced. Courts-martial recorded 49 convictions for this offense with 2025 trial dates, with a median confinement of 34.3 months. In federal court, 23% of these sentences wer
Sexual Abuse of an Adult Sentences in 2024: Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial
In fiscal year 2024, 53 people were sentenced in federal court for sexual abuse of an adult, and the median prison term was 65 months. Courts-martial recorded 81 convictions for this offense with 2024 trial dates, with a median confinement of 24 months. The share receiving confinement or prison was
Sexual Abuse of an Adult Sentences in 2023: Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial
In fiscal year 2023, 55 people were sentenced in federal court for sexual abuse of an adult, with a median prison term of 72 months, and only 35% of their sentences were within the guideline range. Courts-martial recorded 107 convictions for this offense with 2023 trial dates. Their median confineme
Sexual Abuse of an Adult Sentences in 2022: Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial
In fiscal year 2022, 59 people were sentenced in federal court for sexual abuse of an adult, and the median prison term was 61.5 months. Courts-martial recorded 141 convictions for this offense with 2022 trial dates, and the median confinement was 18 months. At courts-martial, the median after a gui
Sexual Abuse of an Adult Sentences in 2021: Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial
Courts-martial recorded 192 convictions for sexual abuse of an adult with 2021 trial dates, including 111 in the Army, and the median confinement was 19 months. Federal court sentenced 45 people for this kind of offense in fiscal year 2021, with a median prison term of 84 months. A guilty plea at co
Sexual Abuse of an Adult Sentences in 2020: Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial
Fiscal year 2020 had the highest median federal prison term for sexual abuse of an adult in the federal table: 102 months, across 40 people sentenced. Court-martial convictions with 2020 trial dates numbered 58, and their median confinement was 24 months. Courts-martial recorded a guilty plea in 62%
Sexual Abuse of an Adult Sentences in 2019: Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial
For sexual abuse of an adult, the median federal prison term in fiscal year 2019 was 85.5 months across 64 people sentenced. The median court-martial confinement for 54 convictions with 2019 trial dates was 36 months. The longest sentences were closer: a quarter of court-martial convictions carried
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