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 Assault Sentences in the District of Colorado, FY2016–2025
In the District of Colorado, 127 people were sentenced for assault offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and 105 of them (83%) received a prison term. The median prison term was 46 months (3.8 years), compared with 42 months for assault in all 94 districts. Sentences were within the guideline range
Federal Money Laundering Sentences in the District of Colorado, FY2016–2025
Most money laundering sentences in the District of Colorado were below the guideline range at the government's request: 85 of 139 people (61%) in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Only 27 (19%) were sentenced within the range, compared with 25% for all 94 districts. The median prison term was 48 months, co
Federal Robbery Sentences in the District of Colorado, FY2016–2025
The median prison term for robbery in the District of Colorado was 78 months (6.5 years) among the 185 people sent to prison, out of 190 sentenced in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. The median for robbery in all 94 districts was 90 months. For all offenses in the District of Colorado, the median was 36 m
Federal Fraud, Theft, and Embezzlement Sentences in the District of Colorado, FY2016–2025
In the District of Colorado, 376 people were sentenced for fraud, theft, or embezzlement offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. 68% received a prison term and 26% received probation only, while 73% of such cases across all 94 districts led to prison. The median prison term in Colorado was 22 months,
Federal Immigration Offense Sentences in the District of Colorado, FY2016–2025
In the District of Colorado, 687 people were sentenced for immigration offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, which is 16% of the 4,231 people sentenced there. The median prison term was 12 months, which is higher than the 7 months for immigration offenses in all 94 federal districts together. The y
Federal Firearms Sentences in the District of Colorado, FY2016–2025
Firearms cases were 21% of the 4,231 people sentenced in the District of Colorado in fiscal years 2016 to 2025: 905 people. 95% received a prison term, and the median was 40 months (3.3 years), which is lower than the 42 months for firearms offenses in all 94 federal districts together. Within-range
Federal Drug Trafficking Sentences in the District of Colorado, FY2016–2025
In the District of Colorado, 1,237 people were sentenced for drug trafficking in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, which is 29% of the 4,231 people sentenced in the district. The median prison term was 60 months (5 years), the same as for drug trafficking in all 94 federal districts together. The yearly me
Federal Food and Drug Offense Sentences in the Western District of Washington, FY2016–2025
Federal courts in the Western District of Washington sentenced 11 people for food and drug offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2024. Probation only was the sentence for 5 of them (45%), and prison was the sentence for 6 (55%). The median prison term was 3.5 months, compared with 17.3 months for all 94
Federal Arson Sentences in the Western District of Washington, FY2016–2025
The Western District of Washington sentenced 12 people for arson offenses from fiscal year 2019 to fiscal year 2025, and all 12 (100%) pleaded guilty. A prison term was imposed on 11 (92%), with a median of 48 months, which is 4 years. For all 94 federal districts, the median arson prison term was 6
Federal Bribery and Corruption Sentences in the Western District of Washington, FY2016–2025
In the Western District of Washington, 13 people were sentenced for bribery and corruption offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2024. Of those, 9 (69%) received a prison term, and the median prison term was 20 months. Every sentence was below the guideline range, which is not the case for most bribery a
Federal Obscenity and Other Sex Offense Sentences in the Western District of Washington, FY2016–2025
In the Western District of Washington, 17 of 18 people sentenced under the Commission's obscenity and other sex offenses type in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 had failure to register as a sex offender as the primary guideline. 17 (94%) received a prison term, with a median of 8 months.
Federal Environmental Offense Sentences in the Western District of Washington, FY2016–2025
Of 19 people sentenced for environmental offenses in the Western District of Washington in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 10 (53%) received a prison term, and 6 (32%) received probation only. The median prison term was 6 months. Only 1 person (5%) was sentenced within the guideline range.
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