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
Aggravated Assault: Sentences After a Guilty Plea vs. After Trial, Federal Court and Courts-Martial
In courts-martial for aggravated assault under Article 128, the median confinement was 9.4 months after a guilty plea and 14.8 months in contested cases that ended in conviction. In federal court, the median prison term was 37 months after a guilty plea and 78 months after a trial. Both systems show
Guilty Pleas in Aggravated Assault Cases: Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial
In courts-martial charging aggravated assault under Article 128 from 2016 to 2025, 115 of 188 cases with a plea recorded (61%) ended in a guilty plea. In federal court, 4,200 of 4,493 people sentenced under guideline §2A2.2 (93%) pleaded guilty. Both groups plead guilty most of the time, but the cou
Manslaughter: Sentences After a Guilty Plea vs. After Trial, Federal Court and Courts-Martial
In federal court, the median prison term for manslaughter was 63 months after a guilty plea and 90 months after a trial, in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. In courts-martial for manslaughter under Article 119, the pattern was the opposite: the median confinement was 60 months after a guilty plea and 30 m
Guilty Pleas in Manslaughter Cases: Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial
In federal court, 686 of 737 people sentenced for manslaughter pleaded guilty (93%), in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Among 36 courts-martial for manslaughter under Article 119 with a plea recorded, trial dates 2016 to 2025, 20 were guilty pleas (56%). Guilty pleas were more common in federal court tha
Murder: Sentences After a Guilty Plea vs. After Trial, Federal Court and Courts-Martial
In courts-martial for murder (Article 118) with trial dates from 2016 to 2025, the median confinement was 215.9 months after a guilty plea and 83.9 months in contested cases that ended in a conviction. Federal court shows the opposite order: the median prison term was 240 months after a guilty plea
Guilty Pleas in Murder Cases: Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial
In federal court, 2,482 of 3,243 people sentenced for murder pleaded guilty (77%), in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Courts-martial charging murder under Article 118 with a plea recorded, trial dates 2016 to 2025, had 19 guilty pleas among 38 cases (50%). Guilty pleas were more common in federal court.
Guilty Pleas in False Claims Against the United States Cases: Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial
Of 16 courts-martial charging frauds against the United States with a plea recorded, 11 (69%) were guilty pleas. In federal court, 86% of people sentenced for cases with a conviction under 18 U.S.C. 287 (false claims) pleaded guilty, and 86% of defendants whose 287 cases ended did so. The court-mart
Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement: Sentences After a Guilty Plea vs. After Trial, Federal Court and Courts-Martial
Federal court showed a median prison term of 120 months after a guilty plea and 235 months after a trial, among 4,971 people sentenced. Courts-martial for sexual offenses against a child showed a median confinement of 36 months after a guilty plea and 48 months in contested cases that ended in convi
Guilty Pleas in Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement Cases: Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial
Courts-martial charging sexual offenses against a child had a guilty plea in 354 of the 567 cases with a plea recorded (62%). In federal court, 4,339 of 4,971 people sentenced (87%) pleaded guilty. The court-martial share is lower, but it varies a great deal by service and by year.
Federal Trials vs. Courts-Martial in 2025: How Often Each Ended in Acquittal
Fiscal year 2025 has the lowest federal trial acquittal rate in the table: 192 of 1,555 trials (12%). Among 286 contested courts-martial with a 2025 trial date and a verdict, 106 ended in a full acquittal (37%). The figures count different groups of cases.
Federal Trials vs. Courts-Martial in 2024: How Often Each Ended in Acquittal
In 2024, the Marine Corps recorded 12 full acquittals in 62 contested courts-martial. Across all services, 123 of 340 contested cases ended in a full acquittal (36%). Federal trials in fiscal year 2024 ended in an acquittal in 220 of 1,723 cases (13%).
Federal Trials vs. Courts-Martial in 2023: How Often Each Ended in Acquittal
Partial acquittals were common among 2023 courts-martial: 101 of 362 contested cases with a verdict (28%). Another 146 ended in a full acquittal (40%). In federal court, 263 of the 1,840 trials that ended in fiscal year 2023 produced an acquittal (14%).
Go deeper: Military Trial Results (every case, members) · Know Your Judge · Learn Your Lawyer (free)
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