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
Obstruction of Justice: Federal Sentences vs. Army Courts-Martial
Army courts-martial with trial dates from 2021 to 2025 produced 97 convictions for obstruction of justice under Article 131b. Confinement was adjudged in 85% of them, and the median was 8.9 months. Federal court sentenced 1,256 people under guideline §2J1.2 in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, with 74% rec
Kidnapping Convictions of Junior Enlisted (E-1 to E-4): Courts-Martial Compared With Federal Court
For junior enlisted service members (E-1 to E-4) convicted of kidnapping at courts-martial from 2021 to 2025, the median adjudged confinement was 8.9 months, based on 13 convictions. In federal court, the median prison term was 164 months for 1,075 people sentenced under guideline §2A4.1 in fiscal y
Kidnapping: Federal Sentences vs. Army Courts-Martial
Army courts-martial from 2022 to 2025 produced 10 convictions for kidnapping under Article 125, with a median adjudged confinement of 8.9 months. In federal court, the median prison term was 164 months among 1,075 people sentenced under guideline §2A4.1 in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. The Army group i
Aggravated Assault Sentences Since the 2023 Military Sentencing Reform: What the Data Shows So Far
It may be too early to tell what the 2023 military sentencing reform changed for aggravated assault. Courts-martial tried in 2022 and 2023 had a median confinement of 11.7 months, and those tried in 2024 and 2025 had a median of 6 months. Federal medians for the same offense were 42 months in fiscal
Aggravated Assault Convictions of NCOs (E-5 to E-9): Courts-Martial Compared With Federal Court
Courts-martial convicted 64 NCOs (E-5 to E-9) of aggravated assault under Article 128 with trial dates from 2016 to 2025. The median confinement was 14.9 months, and 88% of the convictions included confinement. In federal court, 4,493 people were sentenced under guideline §2A2.2 in fiscal years 2016
Aggravated Assault Convictions of Junior Enlisted (E-1 to E-4): Courts-Martial Compared With Federal Court
Courts-martial convicted 141 junior enlisted members (E-1 to E-4) of aggravated assault under Article 128 with trial dates from 2016 to 2025. The median confinement was 11 months, and 95% of the convictions included confinement. In federal court, 4,493 people were sentenced under guideline §2A2.2 in
Aggravated Assault: Federal Sentences vs. Marine Corps Courts-Martial
The Marine Corps had 45 convictions for aggravated assault under Article 128 with trial dates from 2017 to 2025. The median confinement was 9 months, and 93% of the convictions included confinement. Guilty pleas were 74% of the convictions with a plea recorded, compared with 93% of federal sentences
Aggravated Assault: Federal Sentences vs. Navy Courts-Martial, 2016–2025
The Navy had 29 convictions for aggravated assault under Article 128 with trial dates from 2016 to 2025. Of those, 79% included confinement, which is the lowest share among the services, and the median confinement was 12 months. In federal court, 97% of the 4,493 people sentenced under guideline §2A
Aggravated Assault: Federal Sentences vs. Air Force Courts-Martial, 2016–2025
Air Force courts-martial produced 81 convictions for aggravated assault under Article 128 with trial dates from 2016 to 2025. The median confinement was 13.8 months, and 95% of the convictions included confinement. Federal courts sentenced 4,493 people under guideline §2A2.2 in fiscal years 2016 to
Aggravated Assault: Federal Sentences vs. Army Courts-Martial
The Army records show 59 convictions for aggravated assault under Article 128 with trial dates from 2021 to 2025. The median confinement was 8 months, and 90% of the convictions included confinement. In federal court, 4,493 people were sentenced under guideline §2A2.2 in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, a
Manslaughter Convictions of NCOs (E-5 to E-9): Courts-Martial Compared With Federal Court
NCOs (E-5 to E-9) convicted of manslaughter under Article 119 had a median adjudged confinement of 32 months, based on 10 convictions with trial dates from 2021 to 2025. Federal court had a median prison term of 63 months for 737 people sentenced in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. The NCO group is very s
Manslaughter Convictions of Junior Enlisted (E-1 to E-4): Courts-Martial Compared With Federal Court
Junior enlisted service members (E-1 to E-4) convicted of manslaughter under Article 119 had a median adjudged confinement of 60 months, based on 27 convictions with trial dates from 2016 to 2025. That compares with a median prison term of 63 months for 737 people sentenced in federal court in fisca
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