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State v. Seats
The Iowa Supreme Court sent the case of a 17-year-old convicted of murder and sentenced to life without parole back for resentencing. This decision followed U.S. and Iowa Supreme Court rulings on cruel and unusual punishment.
State v. Riley
The Connecticut Supreme Court ruled a 100-year sentence for a juvenile was unconstitutional. The court mandated considering age and rehabilitation potential in discretionary sentencing for minors.
Casiano v. Comm’r of Corr.
The Connecticut Supreme Court ruled that Miller v. Alabama, which bars mandatory juvenile life without parole, applies retroactively. This means juveniles sentenced before Miller could have their life sentences reviewed.
State v. Houston
The Utah Supreme Court upheld juvenile life without parole sentences, finding they do not violate the Eighth Amendment. The court acknowledged potential for rehabilitation but noted severe crimes and individual circumstances.
Memorandum of Amici Curiae the Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equality and the Center for Indian Law & Policy on the Timing of a Post-Admission Judicial Hearing
The brief argues a post-admission judicial hearing for involuntarily hospitalized foster children is required within 72 hours. This timeframe aligns with state law, constitutional due process, and other states' practices.
Amicus Curiae Brief of American Civil Liberties Union of Washington and Juvenile Law Center
The brief argues a teen's child pornography conviction is flawed, misinterpreting the law and harming rehabilitation. It claims the ruling contradicts the law's protective intent and has absurd registration consequences.
Brief of Amici Curiae Juvenile Law Center, Civitas ChildLaw Clinic, and Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth in Support of Petitioner-Appellant James Walker
This brief argues that children are less culpable than adults and should not receive the harshest punishments. It contends that a life without parole sentence for a juvenile is unconstitutional without an individualized sentencing hearing.
Brief of Juvenile Law Center as Amicus Curiae in Support of Appellants Darien Vasquez and Brandon Valentin
This brief argues lengthy sentences for juvenile non-homicide offenders, like Vasquez and Valentin, are unconstitutional. It claims these sentences effectively deny a meaningful chance for release, violating the Eighth Amendment.
Brief of the Colorado Juvenile Defender Center as Amicus Curiae on Behalf of Respondent
This brief argues that mandatory life without parole for juveniles is unconstitutional. It asserts that children differ from adults, requiring individualized sentencing and a chance for release based on maturity.
Amicus Brief of the District Attorneys for the Second and Eighteenth Judicial Districts
The brief argues that a prior ruling on juvenile life sentences does not apply to old cases. It asks the Court to uphold existing life without parole sentences or, if not, to allow new sentencing hearings.
Juvenile Law Center, Children & Family Justice Center, et al.’s Amicus Curiae Brief on Behalf of Respondent-Appellee
The brief argues Illinois's Violent Offender Against Youth Registration Act violates equal protection and due process for youth.
Brief of Amici Curiae Juvenile Law Center and Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth in Support of Appellants
This brief argues that mandatory life without parole for juveniles is unconstitutional and should apply retroactively. It asserts that prior rulings support retroactivity for this substantive or watershed procedural rule.
Juvenile Law Center Brief on Behalf of Petitioner Lucero
This brief argues an 84-year sentence for a juvenile nonhomicide offender is unconstitutional. It claims a 42-year parole ineligibility period is effectively life without parole, violating the Eighth Amendment.
Application to File Amicus Curiae Brief and Brief of Juvenile Law Center, et al., as Amici Curiae on Behalf of Appellant
The brief argues that a 77-year-to-life sentence for a juvenile is unconstitutional, functionally equivalent to life without parole. It contends that the sentencing court failed to consider the defendant's youth as required by law.
Brief of Amicus Curiae Juvenile Law Center on Behalf of Appellant Eric Long in Support of Jurisdiction
This brief argues that discretionary life without parole sentences for juveniles are unconstitutional. It asserts that such sentences should rarely be imposed and seeks clear guidelines for their use.