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. 242, Deprivation of rights under color of law: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Federal trials under 18 U.S.C. 242 ended in an acquittal 41% of the time in fiscal years 2016 to 2025: 44 of 108 trials. Most of the 450 defendants did not go to trial. 300 (67%) pleaded guilty, and 364 (81%) were convicted in all.
18 U.S.C. 2243, Sexual abuse of a minor, a ward, or an individual in Federal custody: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Of the 454 federal defendants whose most serious charge was under 18 U.S.C. 2243 and whose cases ended in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 424 (93%) were convicted. Nearly all of them, 412 (91%), pleaded guilty. Only 13 went to trial, and 1 of those trials ended in an acquittal.
18 U.S.C. 1030, Fraud and related activity in connection with computers: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Not every charge under 18 U.S.C. 1030 was a felony: of 480 federal defendants whose cases ended in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 73 (15%) faced it as a Class A misdemeanor. Of the 406 convicted, 241 (59%) received a prison term on the charge, with a median of 18 months. Trials ended 26 cases, and 3 of
18 U.S.C. 287, False, fictitious or fraudulent claims: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Of 486 federal defendants whose most serious charge at the end of the case was under 18 U.S.C. 287 in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 441 (91%) were convicted. Most pleaded guilty: 418 (86%). Of the convicted, 288 (65%) received a prison term on that charge, with a median of 24 months.
18 U.S.C. 545, Smuggling goods into the United States: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
In fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 496 federal defendants had a case end with a most serious charge under 18 U.S.C. 545. Most pleaded guilty: 430 (87%). Only 10 went to trial, and 5 of those trials ended in an acquittal (50%).
18 U.S.C. 2261, Interstate domestic violence: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Of 474 federal defendants whose most serious charge was under 18 U.S.C. 2261 and whose cases ended in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 393 (83%) pleaded guilty, 46 (10%) had their cases dismissed, and 35 (7%) went to trial. Altogether, 426 (90%) were convicted. Among those with a prison term on the charge
16 U.S.C. 3372, Prohibited acts: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Of 513 federal defendants whose most serious charge at the end of the case was under 16 U.S.C. 3372, 464 (90%) pleaded guilty in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Only 2 went to trial, and neither ended in an acquittal. Among the 466 people convicted, 103 (22%) received a prison term on that charge, with a
26 U.S.C. 5841, Registration of firearms: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Of 539 federal defendants whose cases ended in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 with 26 U.S.C. 5841 as the most serious charge, 506 (94%) were convicted. 491 (91%) pleaded guilty, 31 (6%) had their cases dismissed, and 17 (3%) went to trial. Among the convicted, 432 (85%) received a prison term on that cha
26 U.S.C. 7202, Willful failure to collect or pay over tax: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Guilty pleas ended 506 of the 541 federal cases (94%) in which 26 U.S.C. 7202 was the most serious charge at the end of the case, in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Only 15 defendants went to trial, and 1 was acquitted. Of the 520 convicted, 362 (70%) received a prison term on that charge, with a median
18 U.S.C. 201, Bribery of public officials and witnesses: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
From fiscal year 2016 to 2025, 543 federal defendants had their cases end with a most serious charge under 18 U.S.C. 201. Juries decided all 24 trials and acquitted in 1 (4%), and 482 of the 543 (89%) were convicted. A prison term followed for 352 of the 482 convicted (73%), and the median term was
18 U.S.C. 1594, General provisions: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
In fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 80 of 551 federal defendants charged under 18 U.S.C. 1594 went to trial (15%), and 4 of those trials ended in an acquittal (5%). Overall, 496 (90%) were convicted. Among them, 488 (98%) received a prison term on this charge, with a median of 120 months (10 years).
18 U.S.C. 1703, Delay or destruction of mail or newspapers: How Federal Cases Ended, FY2016–2025
Charges under 18 U.S.C. 1703 were split between levels: 322 of 559 federal defendants (58%) faced a Class A misdemeanor and 237 (42%) a felony, in cases that ended in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. 491 (88%) pleaded guilty and 62 (11%) had their cases dismissed. Of the 495 convicted, 48 (10%) received a
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