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
42 U.S.C. 7413, Federal enforcement: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Of the 5 federal trials in which 42 U.S.C. 7413 was the most serious charge in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 3 ended in an acquittal, all of them bench trials. Most of the 138 defendants, 123 (89%), pleaded guilty. Of the 125 convicted, 25 (20%) received a prison term on that charge, with a median of 6
18 U.S.C. 1701, Obstruction of mails generally: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
All 138 federal defendants whose most serious charge at the end of the case fell under 18 U.S.C. 1701 in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 were charged at the petty offense level. 134 (97%) pleaded guilty, and 135 (98%) were convicted. Only 15 of the 135 convicted received a prison term on this charge, with
16 U.S.C. 704, Determination as to when and how migratory birds may be taken, killed, or possessed: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Federal records list 139 defendants whose case ended in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 with 16 U.S.C. 704 as the most serious charge. None of those charges was a felony, and 69 of the defendants (50%) had no lawyer. 121 (87%) pleaded guilty, and 6 of the 7 trials ended in an acquittal.
18 U.S.C. 669, Theft or embezzlement in connection with health care: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Federal charges under 18 U.S.C. 669 were split between felonies (68, or 49%) and Class A misdemeanors (71, or 51%) among the 139 defendants whose cases ended in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Of the 133 who were convicted (96%), 44 (33%) received a prison term on that charge, with a median of 18 months.
18 U.S.C. 1015, Naturalization, citizenship or alien registry: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
In fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 140 federal defendants had a case end with 18 U.S.C. 1015 as the most serious charge, and 33 of them (24%) had their cases dismissed. Another 105 (75%) pleaded guilty. Just 2 cases went to trial, and both ended in an acquittal.
18 U.S.C. 4082, Commitment to Attorney General; residential treatment centers; extension of limits of confinement; work furlough: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
In fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 142 federal defendants had a case end with 18 U.S.C. 4082 as the most serious charge, and 131 of them (92%) were convicted. Nearly all of those convicted, 129 (98%), received a prison term on that charge, and the median term was 10 months. Only 3 cases went to trial, an
18 U.S.C. 1920, False statement or fraud to obtain Federal employees’ compensation: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Over fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 144 federal defendants had a case end with 18 U.S.C. 1920 as the most serious charge, and 82 of them (57%) faced it as a Class A misdemeanor rather than a felony. Of the 135 convicted, 8 (6%) received a prison term on that charge. Guilty pleas ended 134 cases (93%), a
49 U.S.C. 46504, Interference with flight crew members and attendants: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
For federal defendants whose most serious charge fell under 49 U.S.C. 46504, 107 of 144 defendants (74%) pleaded guilty, and 24 (17%) had their charges dismissed. Of the 13 trials, 8 ended in an acquittal (62%). Of the 112 convicted, 81 (72%) received a prison term on that charge, with a median of 7
18 U.S.C. 912, Officer or employee of the United States: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Federal cases under 18 U.S.C. 912 that ended in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 involved 147 defendants, and 132 (90%) were convicted. A prison term on this charge was recorded for 81 of the 132 (61%), with a median of 12 months among terms of 1 month or more. Of 13 trials, 2 ended in an acquittal (15%).
18 U.S.C. 1038, False information and hoaxes: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Of the 129 federal defendants convicted under 18 U.S.C. 1038 in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 102 (79%) received a prison term on that charge. The median term was 20 months. In all, 149 defendants had a case end with this section as the most serious charge, and 85% of them pleaded guilty.
18 U.S.C. 1040, Fraud in connection with major disaster or emergency benefits: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Dismissals ended 59 of the 153 federal cases (39%) in which 18 U.S.C. 1040 was the most serious charge at the end of the case, in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Another 91 (59%) pleaded guilty and 3 (2%) went to trial. Of the 93 people convicted, 84 (90%) received a prison term on that charge, with a me
18 U.S.C. 1513, Retaliating against a witness, victim, or an informant: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Federal trials under 18 U.S.C. 1513 ended in an acquittal in 14 of 30 cases (47%) over fiscal years 2016 to 2025. That count covers 155 defendants whose most serious charge was under this section when the case ended. Of those 155, 121 were convicted (78%), and the median prison term on this charge w
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