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 Arson Sentences in the District of Maryland, FY2016–2025
In fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 10 people were sentenced for arson in the District of Maryland, and all 10 received a prison term. The median was 114 months (9.5 years), compared with 60 months for arson in all 94 federal districts.
Federal Forgery, Counterfeiting, and Copyright Sentences in the District of Maryland, FY2016–2025
In fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 12 people in the District of Maryland were sentenced for forgery, counterfeiting, and copyright offenses. Only 6 (50%) received a prison term, compared with 77% of 1,994 people for this offense type in all 94 federal districts.
Federal Commercialized Vice Sentences in the District of Maryland, FY2016–2025
From fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 13 people in the District of Maryland were sentenced for commercialized vice offenses. Of those, 12 (92%) received a prison term, and the median was 18 months, the same as for this offense type in all 94 federal districts.
Federal Manslaughter Sentences in the District of Maryland, FY2016–2025
In the District of Maryland, 16 people were sentenced for manslaughter offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Of those, 15 (94%) received a prison term, with a median of 40 months (3.3 years), compared with 63 months for this offense type in all 94 federal districts.
Federal National Defense Offense Sentences in the District of Maryland, FY2016–2025
In fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 18 people in the District of Maryland were sentenced for national defense offenses. The median prison term was 30 months (2.5 years), compared with 24 months in all 94 federal districts, and 17 of the 18 (94%) were sent to prison.
Federal Obscenity and Other Sex Offense Sentences in the District of Maryland, FY2016–2025
From fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 18 people in the District of Maryland were sentenced for obscenity and other sex offenses. Of those, 17 (94%) received a prison term, and the median was 12 months, compared with 18 months for this offense type in all 94 federal districts.
Federal Kidnapping Sentences in the District of Maryland, FY2016–2025
In the District of Maryland, 19 people were sentenced for kidnapping offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and all 19 received a prison term. The median prison term was 168 months (14 years), compared with 155 months for kidnapping cases in all 94 federal districts.
Federal Stalking and Harassment Sentences in the District of Maryland, FY2016–2025
All 26 people sentenced for stalking or harassing offenses in the District of Maryland in fiscal years 2017 to 2025 pleaded guilty. Of them, 20 (77%) received a prison term, with a median of 20.9 months, compared with 24 months in all 94 federal districts.
Federal Administration of Justice Offense Sentences in the District of Maryland, FY2016–2025
In the District of Maryland, 39 people were sentenced for administration of justice offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2024, and 31 (79%) received a prison term. The median prison term was 8 months, compared with 12 months in all 94 federal districts. In Maryland, 39% were sentenced within the guideli
Federal Drug Possession Sentences in the District of Maryland, FY2016–2025
In the District of Maryland, 38 of the 51 people sentenced for drug possession in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 (75%) received probation only, and 8 (16%) received a prison term. For this offense type in all 94 federal districts, 68% were sent to prison.
Federal Tax Offense Sentences in the District of Maryland, FY2016–2025
In the District of Maryland, 54 people were sentenced for tax offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and 78% received a prison term. The median prison term was 14 months, compared with 15.1 months in all 94 federal districts. Restitution was ordered for 49 people (91%).
Federal Bribery and Corruption Sentences in the District of Maryland, FY2016–2025
Of the 67 people sentenced for bribery or corruption offenses in the District of Maryland in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 6 (9%) were sentenced within the guideline range. In all 94 federal districts, the figure was 21%. The median prison term was 15 months, compared with 18 months in all districts.
Go deeper: Military Trial Results (every case, members) · Know Your Judge · Learn Your Lawyer (free)
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