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
Guilty Pleas in Theft and Fraud Cases: Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial
In courts-martial charging larceny, theft, and fraud (Article 121), 462 of 561 cases with a plea recorded were guilty pleas (82%). In federal court, 96% of the 53,639 people sentenced under guideline §2B1.1 pleaded guilty. A separate count of federal defendants charged with theft of government prope
Theft and Fraud: Federal Sentences vs. Marine Corps Courts-Martial
Marine Corps courts-martial had the highest confinement rate of any service for larceny, theft, and fraud (Article 121): 162 of 189 convictions, or 86%. The median adjudged confinement was 6.7 months. In federal court, 73% of the 53,639 people sentenced under guideline §2B1.1 received prison, and th
Theft and Fraud: Federal Sentences vs. Navy Courts-Martial, 2016–2025
Navy courts-martial for larceny, theft, and fraud (Article 121) produced 158 convictions, and 76% of them included confinement. The median adjudged confinement was 6 months. Federal courts sentenced 53,639 people under guideline §2B1.1 in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, with a median prison term of 21 mo
Theft and Fraud: Federal Sentences vs. Air Force Courts-Martial, 2016–2025
Air Force courts-martial produced 122 convictions for larceny, theft, and fraud (Article 121) with trial dates from 2016 to 2025. The median adjudged confinement was 3.6 months, and 79% of convictions included confinement. In federal court, the median prison term for people sent to prison under guid
Theft and Fraud: Federal Sentences vs. Army Courts-Martial
The Army records show 157 convictions for larceny, theft, and fraud under Article 121, with a median adjudged confinement of 3 months. Federal courts sentenced 53,639 people under guideline §2B1.1 in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and the median prison term for those sent to prison was 21 months. Army c
§2A3.3 Criminal Sexual Abuse of a Ward or Attempt to Commit Such Acts: Federal Sentences, FY2016–2025
From fiscal year 2016 through fiscal year 2025, 61 people were sentenced in federal court under §2A3.3, and 50 of them (82%) received a prison term. The median prison term for those 50 was 15 months. Nearly all of these cases ended in a guilty plea: 56 of 61 (92%).
§2A3.2 Criminal Sexual Abuse of a Minor Under the Age of Sixteen Years (Statutory Rape) or Attempt to Commit Such Acts: Federal Sentences, FY2016–2025
Of 365 people sentenced under §2A3.2 in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 358 (98%) received prison. The median prison term was 36 months (3 years). After a guilty plea the median was 34 months, and after a trial it was 108 months.
§2A3.4 Abusive Sexual Contact or Attempt to Commit Abusive Sexual Contact: Federal Sentences, FY2016–2025
Guideline §2A3.4 had 378 people sentenced in federal court in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. A prison term went to 350 (93%), with a median of 24 months (2 years). Supervised release was ordered for 350 people, with a median term of 60 months, and 48 received it for life.
§2A3.1 Criminal Sexual Abuse: Federal Sentences, FY2016–2025
Federal courts sentenced 1,269 people under §2A3.1, Criminal Sexual Abuse; Attempt to Commit Criminal Sexual Abuse, in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. The median prison term was 168 months (14 years), 74 people received a life sentence, and a mandatory minimum applied to 302 (24%).
Sexual Abuse of an Adult 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. Court-martial convictions for sexual abuse of an adult from trials in 2022 and 2023 had a median confinement of 18 months, and trials in 2024 and 2025 had a median of 26 months. Federal prison terms had medians of 71 month
Sexual Abuse of an Adult Convictions of Officers and Warrant Officers: Courts-Martial Compared With Federal Court
Officers and warrant officers had 58 court-martial convictions for sexual abuse of an adult from 2016 to 2025, and the median adjudged confinement was 38.4 months. Dismissal was part of the sentence for 46 of the 58 convicted. The federal median prison term for 531 people sentenced in fiscal years 2
Sexual Abuse of an Adult Convictions of NCOs (E-5 to E-9): Courts-Martial Compared With Federal Court
Court-martial records show 308 convictions of NCOs (E-5 to E-9) for sexual abuse of an adult from 2016 to 2025, with a median adjudged confinement of 26 months. Confinement was part of the sentence in 258 cases (84%), lower than the 88% for all ranks together. The federal median prison term for 531
Go deeper: Military Trial Results (every case, members) · Know Your Judge · Learn Your Lawyer (free)
Get the free newsletter.
Clips, audiograms and the opening of every issue, free.