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 Child Pornography Sentences in the Southern District of West Virginia, FY2016–2025
In the Southern District of West Virginia, 71 people were sentenced for child pornography (images of child exploitation) offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and all 71 received a prison term. The median prison term was 78 months (6.5 years), which is lower than the 90 months for all 94 districts.
Federal Immigration Offense Sentences in the Southern District of West Virginia, FY2016–2025
In the Southern District of West Virginia, 79 people were sentenced for immigration offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and all 79 pleaded guilty. Of those, 76 (96%) received a prison term, with a median of 3.4 months. That median is lower than the 7 months for all 94 districts.
Federal Sexual Abuse Sentences in the Southern District of West Virginia, FY2016–2025
In the Southern District of West Virginia, 89 people were sentenced for sexual abuse offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and all 89 received a prison term. The median prison term was 121 months (10.1 years), which is lower than the 180 months for all 94 districts. A mandatory minimum prison term
Federal Prison Offense Sentences in the Southern District of West Virginia, FY2016–2025
All 89 people sentenced for prison offenses in the Southern District of West Virginia in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 pleaded guilty, and all 89 received a prison term. The median prison term was 12 months. Of the 85 sentences with guideline information, 35 (41%) were below the guideline range at the g
Federal Fraud, Theft, and Embezzlement Sentences in the Southern District of West Virginia, FY2016–2025
Of the 184 people sentenced for fraud, theft, and embezzlement in the Southern District of West Virginia in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 108 (59%) received a prison term and 46 (25%) received probation only. The median prison term was 12.5 months, which is lower than the 20 months for all 94 districts
Federal Firearms Sentences in the Southern District of West Virginia, FY2016–2025
In the Southern District of West Virginia, 443 people were sentenced for firearms offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. The median prison term was 37 months (3.1 years), which is lower than the 42 months for all 94 districts. Of the sentences, 61% were within the guideline range, compared with 52%
Federal Drug Trafficking Sentences in the Southern District of West Virginia, FY2016–2025
Drug trafficking cases were 52% of the 2,416 people sentenced in the Southern District of West Virginia in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Of the 1,255 people sentenced for drug trafficking, 1,192 (95%) received a prison term, and the median was 60 months (5 years). That median is the same as the median
Federal Drug Possession Sentences in the Northern District of West Virginia, FY2016–2025
6 of the 10 people sentenced for federal drug possession in the Northern District of West Virginia (60%) received probation only. The other 4 (40%) received a prison term, with a median of 4.5 months. The records cover fiscal years 2017 to 2025.
Federal Stalking and Harassment Sentences in the Northern District of West Virginia, FY2016–2025
All 11 people sentenced for stalking or harassing offenses in the Northern District of West Virginia received a prison term. The median was 41 months (3.4 years), higher than the 24 months across all 94 federal districts. In 4 of the 11 cases (36%), the sentence was above the guideline range.
Federal Forgery, Counterfeiting, and Copyright Sentences in the Northern District of West Virginia, FY2016–2025
All 12 people sentenced in the Northern District of West Virginia in the forgery, counterfeiting, and copyright category had the same primary guideline: counterfeit United States currency. 11 of them (92%) received a prison term, with a median of 21 months. In 83% of cases (10 of 12), the sentence w
Federal Other Offense Sentences in the Northern District of West Virginia, FY2016–2025
The U.S. Sentencing Commission counted 14 people in its "Other" offense type in the Northern District of West Virginia, fiscal years 2016 to 2022. In this district, the group is mostly chemical and drug-equipment cases. 10 people (71%) received a prison term, with a median of 21 months, compared wit
Federal Robbery Sentences in the Northern District of West Virginia, FY2016–2025
All 15 people sentenced for robbery in the Northern District of West Virginia received a prison term. The median was 104 months (8.7 years), higher than the 90 months across all 94 federal districts. The records cover fiscal years 2017 to 2025.
Go deeper: Military Trial Results (every case, members) · Know Your Judge · Learn Your Lawyer (free)
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