TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Aug 21, 2025

A three-judge panel of the Tennessee Court of Appeals ruled on Aug. 15 that certain inmates facing life sentences can be released early for good behavior. The unanimous decision applies to people sentenced for crimes committed before July 1, 1995, or for crimes committed as a juvenile, according to The Tennessean. It will not apply to those sentenced to life without parole. The decision came in the case of Howard Aktins. David Esquivel, attorney for Atkins, said if the ruling stands, it means dozens or hundreds of people sentenced to life should have already been released from state custody. The Tennessee Attorney General’s Office, which could appeal the decision, says it is "still reviewing next steps." In Tennessee, a life sentence is considered to be 60 years. The appeals court estimated that under the Department of Correction’s good time calculation formula, inmates could shave off about 20 years from their sentences.