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 Middle District of Alabama, FY2016–2025
271 people were sentenced for fraud, theft, or embezzlement in the Middle District of Alabama in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. 201 (74%) received a prison term, and 62 (23%) received probation only. The median prison term was 25 months, compared with 20 months for all 94 districts.
Federal Drug Trafficking Sentences in the Middle District of Alabama, FY2016–2025
Of the 559 people sentenced for drug trafficking in the Middle District of Alabama in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 530 (95%) received a prison term, with a median of 90 months. That median is higher than the 60 months for all 94 districts. A mandatory minimum applied to 407 people (73%).
Federal Firearms Sentences in the Middle District of Alabama, FY2016–2025
Firearms cases were 30% of the 2,037 people sentenced in the Middle District of Alabama in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Of the 609 people in this offense type, 578 (95%) received a prison term, and the median was 46 months. The median after a trial was 111 months, compared with 45 months after a guilt
Federal Individual Rights Offense Sentences in the Southern District of West Virginia, FY2016–2025
The Southern District of West Virginia sentenced 12 people for individual rights offenses, all in fiscal years 2021 to 2025. Of the 12, 11 (92%) received a prison term, and the median was 168 months (14 years). That median is higher than the 30 months for all 94 districts.
Federal Obscenity and Other Sex Offense Sentences in the Southern District of West Virginia, FY2016–2025
In the Southern District of West Virginia, 12 people were sentenced for obscenity and other sex offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and 11 of them had failure to register as a sex offender as the primary guideline. Of the 12, 11 (92%) received a prison term, with a median of 21 months. That media
Federal Environmental Offense Sentences in the Southern District of West Virginia, FY2016–2025
In the Southern District of West Virginia, 12 people were sentenced for environmental offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2024. Of those, 5 (42%) received a prison term and 5 (42%) received probation only. A fine was ordered for 9 of the 12 (75%).
Federal Tax Offense Sentences in the Southern District of West Virginia, FY2016–2025
In the Southern District of West Virginia, 16 people were sentenced for tax offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and restitution was ordered for all 16 (100%). Of the 16, 12 (75%) received a prison term, with a median of 18 months. Guilty pleas were 94% here.
Federal Assault Sentences in the Southern District of West Virginia, FY2016–2025
In the Southern District of West Virginia, 16 people were sentenced for assault offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2023. Of those, 15 (94%) received a prison term, with a median of 41 months (3.4 years). That median is about the same as the 42 months for all 94 districts and for all offenses in this d
Federal Administration of Justice Offense Sentences in the Southern District of West Virginia, FY2016–2025
The Southern District of West Virginia sentenced 17 people for administration of justice offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Of those, 13 (76%) received a prison term, and the median was 12 months, which is the same as the median for all 94 districts. Of the 17 sentences, 9 (53%) were within the
Federal Money Laundering Sentences in the Southern District of West Virginia, FY2016–2025
In the Southern District of West Virginia, 25 people were sentenced for money laundering offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. The median prison term was 26 months (2.2 years) for the 19 people sent to prison. Guilty pleas were 76% here, compared with 93% for all 94 districts in this offense type.
Federal Other Offense Sentences in the Southern District of West Virginia, FY2016–2025
In the Southern District of West Virginia, 17 of the 25 people in the Commission's "Other" offense type (68%) received probation only, and 6 (24%) received a prison term. The median prison term was 6 months. Of the 25 sentences, 24 (96%) were within the guideline range.
Federal Drug Possession Sentences in the Southern District of West Virginia, FY2016–2025
In the Southern District of West Virginia, 29 people were sentenced for drug possession offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2023, and all 29 pleaded guilty. Of those, 25 (86%) received a prison term, with a median of 5 months. Most of these cases were sentenced in the earlier years: 22 people in fiscal
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