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 Pornography Charges: Federal Trial Acquittals vs. Contested Army Courts-Martial
Of 10 contested Army courts-martial for child pornography (images of child exploitation) that reached a verdict from 2021 to 2024, none ended in a full acquittal, and 5 were partial acquittals. In federal court, 9 of 328 trials ended in an acquittal, which is 3%. The Army group is very small.
Child Pornography Charges: How Often Federal Trials and Courts-Martial End in Acquittal
Among 53 contested courts-martial for child pornography (images of child exploitation) in the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps that reached a verdict, none ended in a full acquittal, and 13 were partial acquittals. In federal court, 9 of 328 trials ended in an acquittal, which is 3%. The Air Force is le
Child Pornography: Sentences After a Guilty Plea vs. After Trial, Federal Court and Courts-Martial
In federal court, the median prison term was 87 months after a guilty plea and 170 months after a trial. In courts-martial for child pornography (images of child exploitation), the median confinement was 20 months after a guilty plea and 24 months in contested cases that ended in conviction. The gap
Guilty Pleas in Child Pornography Cases: Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial
Among 423 courts-martial charging child pornography (images of child exploitation) with a plea recorded, 337 were guilty pleas, which is 80%. In federal court, 13,224 of 13,646 people sentenced, or 97%, pleaded guilty. The guilty plea share in courts-martial has changed over the years in the records
Child Pornography: Federal Sentences vs. Marine Corps Courts-Martial
Marine Corps courts-martial ended in 104 convictions for child pornography (images of child exploitation), with a median adjudged confinement of 24 months. Federal court sentenced 13,646 people under the matching guideline in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and the median prison term was 90 months. Most
Child Pornography: Federal Sentences vs. Navy Courts-Martial, 2016–2025
Navy courts-martial ended in 75 convictions for child pornography (images of child exploitation), with a median adjudged confinement of 21.5 months. The federal median prison term for 13,646 people sentenced in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 was 90 months. Navy numbers are small, and the sections below s
Child Pornography: Federal Sentences vs. Air Force Courts-Martial, 2016–2025
The Air Force has the most convictions for child pornography (images of child exploitation) of the services: 179, with a median adjudged confinement of 24 months. Federal court sentenced 13,646 people under the matching guideline in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and the median prison term was 90 months
Child Pornography: Federal Sentences vs. Army Courts-Martial
Army courts-martial that ended in a conviction for child pornography (images of child exploitation) had a median adjudged confinement of 18 months, based on 133 convictions. In federal court, the median prison term was 90 months for 13,646 people sentenced in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. The groups ar
§2D1.7 Unlawful Sale or Transportation of Drug Paraphernalia: Federal Sentences, FY2016–2025
In fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 15 people were sentenced under guideline §2D1.7. 9 (60%) received a prison term, but the median prison term was 0 months. All 15 pleaded guilty, and none faced a mandatory minimum.
§2D1.8 Renting or Managing a Drug Establishment: Federal Sentences, FY2016–2025
173 people were sentenced under §2D1.8 in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. 128 (74%) received prison, with a median term of 16.2 months, and 41 (24%) received probation only. Almost all pleaded guilty.
§2D1.2 Drug Offenses Occurring Near Protected Locations or Involving Underage or Pregnant Individuals: Federal Sentences, FY2016–2025
A mandatory minimum prison term applied to 96% of the 2,553 people sentenced under §2D1.2 in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. 99% received prison, and the median prison term was 72 months. 98% pleaded guilty.
Drug Distribution 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 drug distribution cases. The median adjudged confinement was 5.9 months for trials in 2022 and 2023 and 5.9 months for trials in 2024 and 2025. Confinement was included in 98% of the earlier convictions and 88% of the l
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