Michigan’s Supreme Court has ruled that people who were 19 or 20 when they committed murder can no longer automatically be sentenced to life in prison without parole.
The 5-2 decision means many young offenders could return to court to request shorter sentences—and possibly earn a chance at release.
The court found that giving mandatory life sentences to young adults violates the state constitution’s ban on cruel or unusual punishment. A similar decision was made in 2022 for 18-year-olds.
“As late adolescents mature into fully developed adults, they become less prone to reckless decision-making, more likely to consider and appreciate consequences, and less susceptible to peer pressure,” Justice Elizabeth Welch wrote.
