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
18 U.S.C. 1163, Embezzlement and theft from Indian tribal organizations: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
In fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 245 federal defendants had a case end with 18 U.S.C. 1163 as the most serious charge, and 215 (88%) were convicted. Most of those convictions came from guilty pleas: 212 (87%). Of those convicted, 92 (43%) received a prison term on this charge, and the median term was 9
18 U.S.C. 152, Concealment of assets; false oaths and claims; bribery: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Federal records list 251 defendants whose cases ended in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 with a most serious charge under 18 U.S.C. 152. Of the 15 who went to trial, 5 were acquitted (33%), and 220 of the 251 (88%) were convicted overall. Prison terms were less common than in many federal offenses: 119 of
18 U.S.C. 1711, Misappropriation of postal funds: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
None of the 253 federal defendants charged mainly under 18 U.S.C. 1711 whose cases ended in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 went to trial. Of them, 221 (87%) pleaded guilty and 32 (13%) had their cases dismissed. A prison term on the charge was rare: 16 of the 221 convicted (7%) received one, with a media
26 U.S.C. 7203, Willful failure to file return, supply information, or pay tax: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Most federal charges under 26 U.S.C. 7203 were Class A misdemeanors: 186 of 254 (73%) in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, with 68 (27%) recorded as felonies. Of the 237 defendants convicted, 103 (43%) received a prison term on that charge, and the median term was 12 months. Guilty pleas ended 225 cases (8
18 U.S.C. 1425, Procurement of citizenship or naturalization unlawfully: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Under 18 U.S.C. 1425, 260 federal defendants had their cases end in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Of those, 161 (62%) pleaded guilty, 71 (27%) had their cases dismissed, and 28 (11%) went to trial, where 2 were acquitted. The median prison term on this charge was 7.5 months, and 114 of the 187 convicte
18 U.S.C. 401, Power of court: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Of 271 federal defendants whose most serious charge at the end of the case fell under 18 U.S.C. 401, 77 (28%) had their cases dismissed, 165 (61%) pleaded guilty, and 29 (11%) went to trial. Those cases ended in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Of the 29 trials, 2 ended in an acquittal (7%), and 192 of th
18 U.S.C. 1958, Use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Most federal defendants charged under 18 U.S.C. 1958 were sent to prison for years: among those with a prison term of 1 month or more, the median was 108 months (9 years), and 41 received life. In fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 273 cases with this section as the most serious charge ended, and 259 (95%)
18 U.S.C. 1955, Prohibition of illegal gambling businesses: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Of the 251 federal defendants convicted under 18 U.S.C. 1955, 109 (43%) received a prison term on that charge. The median term for those 109 was 12 months. Over fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 286 defendants had a case end under this section, and 248 (87%) pleaded guilty.
18 U.S.C. 2421, Transportation generally: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Nearly every conviction under 18 U.S.C. 2421 led to prison: 283 of 293 convicted defendants (97%) received a prison term on that charge, with a median of 51 months (4.2 years). Over fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 311 defendants had a case end under this section, and 289 (93%) pleaded guilty. Only 4 went
7 U.S.C. 2024, Violations and enforcement: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Of 312 federal defendants whose most serious charge was under 7 U.S.C. 2024 and whose cases ended in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 277 (89%) pleaded guilty and 32 (10%) had their cases dismissed. Only 3 went to trial, and none of those trials ended in an acquittal. Among the 280 convicted, 162 (58%) re
18 U.S.C. 1519, Destruction, alteration, or falsification of records in Federal investigations and bankruptcy: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
For 18 U.S.C. 1519, 85 of 326 federal defendants (26%) went to trial in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and 21 of those trials ended in an acquittal (25%). Most defendants, 199 (61%), pleaded guilty. Of the 263 convicted, 190 (72%) received a prison term on this charge, with a median of 24 months.
18 U.S.C. 1470, Transfer of obscene material to minors: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Nearly all federal cases under 18 U.S.C. 1470 ended in a guilty plea: 310 of 328 defendants (95%) in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Only 6 went to trial, and 2 of those ended in an acquittal. Of the 314 convicted, 291 (93%) received a prison term on this charge, with a median of 48 months.
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