Bill > SB2083

This bill establishes a process for eligible defendants in Mississippi to request a review and potential reduction or modification of their criminal sentences if they are deemed greater than necessary to achieve the purposes of sentencing, which include rehabilitation, punishment, deterrence, and public safety. To be eligible, a defendant must have been convicted of a felony, be in the custody of the Department of Corrections, have at least two years remaining until conditional release, and have served a significant portion of their sentence (at least one-third of the minimum or eight years for consecutive sentences, whichever is less), with a specific provision that those serving the minimum allowed sentence are not eligible. The review will be handled by the original sentencing judge or another judge if the original judge is unavailable, and the court will consider factors like the defendant's rehabilitation efforts, age, personal circumstances, medical condition, and institutional record. Defendants can file a renewed motion three years after a denial, and they have a right to appeal the decision. Importantly, defendants cannot waive their right to seek relief under this bill as part of a plea agreement, as such waivers would be void. The bill also amends existing law (Section 99-39-7, Mississippi Code of 1972) to prevent defendants from filing a motion under the post-conviction relief process (Title 99, Chapter 39, Article 1) while they have a pending motion under this new sentencing review procedure.

Justice

https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2026/pdf/history/SB/SB2083.xml