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 Northern District of Alabama, FY2016–2025
In the Northern District of Alabama, 82 people were sentenced for child pornography offenses (images of child exploitation) in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and all 82 received a prison term. The median prison term was 120 months (10 years), compared with 90 months for this offense type in all 94 feder
Federal Robbery Sentences in the Northern District of Alabama, FY2016–2025
All 103 people sentenced for robbery offenses in the Northern District of Alabama in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 received a prison term. The median prison term was 109 months (9.1 years), compared with 90 months for robbery in all 94 federal districts. A mandatory minimum applied to 48 of the 103 peop
Federal National Defense Offense Sentences in the Northern District of Alabama, FY2016–2025
Of the 119 people sentenced for national defense offenses in the Northern District of Alabama in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 114 (96%) received probation only, and 5 (4%) received a prison term. In all 94 federal districts, 84% of this offense type were sent to prison. The district's pattern differs
Federal Other Offense Sentences in the Northern District of Alabama, FY2016–2025
Probation only, with no prison or other confinement, was the most common result in the "Other" offense category in the Northern District of Alabama: 145 of the 170 people sentenced in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 (85%). Prison went to 20 (12%). In all 94 federal districts, 38% of people in this categor
Federal Immigration Offense Sentences in the Northern District of Alabama, FY2016–2025
The Northern District of Alabama sentenced 318 people for immigration offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and the yearly count varied widely: 5 in 2021 and 79 in 2025. The median prison term was 6 months, compared with 7 months for this offense type in all 94 federal districts. Of the 318 people,
Federal Fraud, Theft, and Embezzlement Sentences in the Northern District of Alabama, FY2016–2025
In the Northern District of Alabama, 643 people were sentenced for fraud, theft, and embezzlement offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and 520 (81%) were ordered to pay restitution. Of the 643, 426 (66%) received a prison term and 148 (23%) received probation only. The median prison term was 21 mo
Federal Drug Trafficking Sentences in the Northern District of Alabama, FY2016–2025
A mandatory minimum prison term applied to 918 of the 1,205 people (76%) sentenced for drug trafficking in the Northern District of Alabama in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. The median prison term was 84 months (7 years), compared with 60 months for this offense type in all 94 federal districts. Of the
Federal Firearms Sentences in the Northern District of Alabama, FY2016–2025
Firearms cases were 33% of the 4,557 people sentenced in the Northern District of Alabama in fiscal years 2016 to 2025: 1,509 people. The median prison term for firearms offenses was 37 months, compared with 42 months for this offense type in all 94 federal districts. In this district, 64% of firear
Federal Prison Offense Sentences in the Western District of North Carolina, FY2016–2025
From fiscal year 2017 through fiscal year 2024, 10 people were sentenced for prison offenses in the Western District of North Carolina. Of those, 9 (90%) received a prison term, with a median of 15 months. For this offense type in all 94 districts, the median was 10 months.
Federal Kidnapping Sentences in the Western District of North Carolina, FY2016–2025
The Western District of North Carolina sentenced 10 people for kidnapping in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and every one received a prison term. The median was 162 months, or 13.5 years, compared with 155 months for kidnapping in all 94 districts. The group is small, so each person is a large share of
Federal Drug Possession Sentences in the Western District of North Carolina, FY2016–2025
The Western District of North Carolina sentenced 13 people for drug possession in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Of those, 11 (85%) received a prison term, and the median was 4.8 months. For this offense type in all 94 districts, the median was 6 months, and 68% were sent to prison.
Federal Obscenity and Other Sex Offense Sentences in the Western District of North Carolina, FY2016–2025
All 14 people in the U.S. Sentencing Commission's "Obscenity/Other Sex Offenses" category in the Western District of North Carolina were sentenced under one guideline, §2A3.5 (Failure to Register as a Sex Offender). Of the 14, 13 (93%) received a prison term, with a median of 24 months. The median f
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