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
Federal Fraud, Theft, and Embezzlement Sentences in the Western District of Louisiana, FY2016–2025
In the Western District of Louisiana, 177 of the 445 people sentenced for fraud, theft, or embezzlement in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 (40%) received probation only. 262 (59%) received a prison term, and the median was 21.5 months. Across all 94 federal districts, 73% of people in this offense type we
Federal Firearms Sentences in the Western District of Louisiana, FY2016–2025
In the Western District of Louisiana, 627 people were sentenced for firearms offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and 75% of the sentences were within the guideline range. The median prison term was 51 months (4.2 years), compared with 42 months across all 94 federal districts. Firearms made up 21
Federal Drug Trafficking Sentences in the Western District of Louisiana, FY2016–2025
A mandatory minimum prison term applied to 678 of the 979 people (69%) sentenced for drug trafficking in the Western District of Louisiana in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. The median prison term was 110 months (9.2 years), compared with 60 months across all 94 federal districts. Drug trafficking made u
Federal Forgery, Counterfeiting, and Copyright Sentences in the Eastern District of Louisiana, FY2016–2025
From fiscal years 2016 to 2022, 10 people in the Eastern District of Louisiana were sentenced for forgery, counterfeiting, or copyright offenses. Only 3 (30%) received a prison term, and 5 (50%) received probation only. For 7 of the 10, the sentence was below the guideline range without a government
Federal Obscenity and Other Sex Offense Sentences in the Eastern District of Louisiana, FY2016–2025
In the Eastern District of Louisiana, 14 of the 15 people sentenced for obscenity and other sex offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2023 were sentenced under one guideline, failure to register as a sex offender. A total of 13 (87%) received a prison term, with a median of 21 months. All 15 pleaded guil
Federal Individual Rights Offense Sentences in the Eastern District of Louisiana, FY2016–2025
The Eastern District of Louisiana sentenced 15 people for individual rights offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Of these, 8 (53%) received a prison term, with a median of 52.5 months (4.4 years), and 7 (47%) received probation only. All 15 pleaded guilty.
Federal Other Offense Sentences in the Eastern District of Louisiana, FY2016–2025
In the Eastern District of Louisiana, 27 people were sentenced in fiscal years 2017 to 2025 under the U.S. Sentencing Commission's offense type "Other". Of these, 7 (26%) received a prison term and 14 (52%) received probation only. The median prison term for those sent to prison was 18 months.
Federal Assault Sentences in the Eastern District of Louisiana, FY2016–2025
In fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 34 people were sentenced in the Eastern District of Louisiana in the "Assault" offense type, and 31 (91%) received a prison term. The median prison term was 229 months (19.1 years), compared with 42 months for this offense type in all 94 federal districts.
Federal Money Laundering Sentences in the Eastern District of Louisiana, FY2016–2025
In fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 36 people were sentenced in the Eastern District of Louisiana in the "Money Laundering" offense type. Of them, 25 (69%) received a prison term, with a median of 70 months (5.8 years), compared with 40 months for this offense type in all 94 federal districts.
Federal Bribery and Corruption Sentences in the Eastern District of Louisiana, FY2016–2025
In the Eastern District of Louisiana, 37 people were sentenced in the "Bribery/Corruption" offense type in fiscal years 2016 to 2023. Of them, 22 (59%) received a prison term, with a median of 48 months (4 years). In all 94 federal districts the median for this offense type was 18 months.
Federal Sexual Abuse Sentences in the Eastern District of Louisiana, FY2016–2025
All 39 people sentenced in the "Sexual Abuse" offense type in the Eastern District of Louisiana in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 received a prison term. The median prison term was 180 months (15 years), the same as the median for this offense type in all 94 federal districts. One person received a life
Federal Environmental Offense Sentences in the Eastern District of Louisiana, FY2016–2025
Of the 44 people sentenced in the "Environmental" offense type in the Eastern District of Louisiana in fiscal years 2016 to 2023, 42 (95%) received probation only and 1 (2%) received a prison term. In all 94 federal districts, 28% of people in this offense type were sent to prison.
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