Griffin v. Board of Parole & Post-Prison Supervision

116 P.3d 930, 201 Or. App. 21, 2005 Ore. App. LEXIS 978
CourtCourt of Appeals of Oregon
DecidedAugust 3, 2005
DocketA117349
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 116 P.3d 930 (Griffin v. Board of Parole & Post-Prison Supervision) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Oregon primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Griffin v. Board of Parole & Post-Prison Supervision, 116 P.3d 930, 201 Or. App. 21, 2005 Ore. App. LEXIS 978 (Or. Ct. App. 2005).

Opinion

*23 HASELTON, P. J.

Petitioner seeks judicial review of an order of the Board of Parole and Post-Prison Supervision denying the restoration of good time credits after the revocation of his parole. He asserts that (1) the board erred in denying him a hearing on the restoration of his good time credits; and that (2) in making the decision to deny restoration of his good time credits, the board erred by applying rules that were not in effect at the time of his crime. We reject without discussion petitioner’s second argument, and write to address only the claims concerning petitioner’s entitlement to a hearing on the matter of restoration of good time. For the following reasons, we affirm.

Petitioner was convicted of attempted murder, first-degree robbery, and first-degree burglary in 1987. He received an indeterminate 20-year sentence with a 10-year judicially imposed minimum sentence. ORS 144.110. In 1988, the board upheld the judicial minimum and established a parole release date of January 14, 1997. Before petitioner was paroled, the board projected petitioner’s “good time” date as July 31,1999. 1 Petitioner was paroled in January 1997. Petitioner violated the terms and conditions of parole and was returned to prison in January 1999. At a future disposition hearing in July 1999, the board denied re-release on parole, based on a finding that petitioner could not be adequately controlled in the community, and established a new parole release date of October 26, 2003. 2 In September 2001, petitioner requested, via letter, that the board restore the good time that he had accumulated before his release on parole, and sought a hearing on the matter. The board responded that it was unable to consider restoring petitioner’s good time because it had not received a recommendation from the superintendent of the prison *24 where petitioner was incarcerated. The board received a negative recommendation from the superintendent shortly thereafter. On October 18, 2001, the board entered the order at issue in the present case, which provides in pertinent part that the board had received a negative recommendation from the superintendent and, upon review, “denies inmate’s request for restoration of forfeited good time.” Petitioner sought administrative review of that order, arguing in part that he was entitled to a hearing on whether his good time should be restored. On administrative review, the board concluded that petitioner was not entitled to a hearing, and denied relief. Petitioner then sought judicial review.

On judicial review, petitioner makes several arguments in support of his contention that the board was required to afford him a hearing before denying his request for restoration of forfeited good time credits. First, petitioner contends that OAR 255-080-0012(3)(c), as that rule was interpreted in Beveridge v. Johnson, 157 Or App 57, 967 P2d 1238 (1998), entitles him to a hearing under these circumstances. We disagree. OAR 255-080-0012 does not apply here. That rule provides:

“(1) If the Board or its designee determines that the request for review is consistent with the criteria in OAR 255-080-0010 and the limits of 255-080-0011, the Board may open the case for review.
“(2) The Board may open a case for reconsideration of a finding without receiving a request, without regard to time limits, and without opening all findings for review and appeal.
“(3) The Board may conduct the review using the following methods:
“(a) Administrative file pass, with the number of con- . curring votes required by OAR 255-030-0015; or
“(b) Other administrative action by the Board or its designee, e.g., to correct errors in the history risk score, crime catégory, credit for time served, inoperative time or adjusted commitment dates; or
“(c) Administrative hearing, in cases where review would cause an adverse result for the prisoner.
*25 “(4) When the Board schedules an inmate/offender for an administrative review hearing and the inmate/offender has not received the Hearing Packet, the Board may proceed with the hearing, if the inmate/offender waives the right to adequate notice of the hearing and receipt of the Board Review Packet.
“(5) The Board shall send the inmate/offender written notice of the Board decision and findings.”

That rule must be read in the context of its neighboring rules, OAR 255-080-0010 and OAR, 255-080-0011, which are cross-referenced in section (1) of the rule. OAR 255-080-0010 sets forth the criteria for granting administrative review of a board order; 3 OAR 255-080-0011 sets forth numerous limitations on the types of issues that may be considered in the review of prior board orders. 4 In fact, all of the *26 rules in Division 80 of Chapter 255 pertain to board review of earlier orders. Petitioner contends that the board should have applied OAR 255-080-0012 in considering his initial request that his good time be restored. OAR 255-080-0012 does not apply to initial requests that the board take action on a matter.* *** 5 It applies to the board’s review of an earlier board order or action. In this case, there had been no prior board order or action concerning petitioner’s good time when he submitted his request. Thus, at the point petitioner made his request, there was nothing for the board to “review” or “reconsider,” as those terms are used in OAR 255-080-0012. Accordingly, OAR 255-080-0012 did not require that the board conduct a hearing on petitioner’s request for restoration of good time credits. 6

*27 Petitioner next contends that the failure to afford him a hearing on his request for restoration of good time violates the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Petitioner acknowledges that, in order to be entitled to such a hearing, he must establish that a constitutionally protected interest is involved. He asserts that he has a liberty interest in the restoration of his good time credits, not under ORS 421.120 (1985) but, instead, under a rule promulgated by the Department of Corrections (DOC), OAR 291-100-018(3) (1987). That rule provided:

“Credit to Parole Violator for Good Time Earned Prior to Parole Release:
“(a) Upon return from parole, Good Time credits accrued by the inmate prior to his/her release on parole will be restored.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Alexander v. Board of Parole & Post-Prison Supervision
134 P.3d 1055 (Court of Appeals of Oregon, 2006)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
116 P.3d 930, 201 Or. App. 21, 2005 Ore. App. LEXIS 978, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/griffin-v-board-of-parole-post-prison-supervision-orctapp-2005.