Johnson v. Commissioner, 258 Conn. 804 (2002)

Appellate Clinic student co-wrote Connecticut Supreme Court brief and then presented oral argument in support of lower court’s judgment in our client’s favor (won by two other Clinic students the previous year). Client was a prisoner who challenged a new parole eligibility law. Under new parole law, petitioner (and over 800 other Connecticut inmates) were required to serve an extra 35% of their sentences before being parole eligible. At the habeas corpus trial the Trial Clinic prevailed on constitutional grounds (violation of ex post facto prohibition). On appeal the Supreme Court affirmed on statutory grounds.