ROBERT BRUCE, PETITIONER,
v.
THE FLORIDA PAROLE AND PROBATION COMMISSION AND LOUIE L. WAINWRIGHT AS SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, STATE OF FLORIDA, RESPONDENTS

Fla. 3d DCA | 1984-04-03
No. 83-878
Before HENDRY, NESBITT and PEARSON, DANIEL S., JJ.
450 So. 2d 520 Florida District Court of Appeal, Third District (1984) Positive Treatment
Cited by 2 cases

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Synopsis

Robert Bruce sought habeas corpus relief challenging the Florida Parole and Probation Commission's refusal to convert his presumptive parole release date into an effective parole release date. The court held that the Commission abused its discretion by refusing to set an effective date without showing new information, institutional conduct, or extraordinary circumstances.


Holding

The Commission abused its discretion by refusing to set an effective parole release date without demonstrating new information, institutional conduct, or extraordinary circumstances. The court vacated the refusal order and directed the Commission to discharge the petitioner subject to standard parole provisions.


Headnotes

[1] A parole commission abuses its discretion by refusing to convert a presumptive parole release date to an effective parole release date when relying on the same informatio…

[2] The Objective Parole Guidelines Act of 1978 requires a showing of new information, institutional conduct, or extraordinary circumstances to change a presumptive parole re…

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Key Quotes

“the limited discretion remaining with the Commission under the provisions of section 947.18 must be considered in pari materia with other provisions of the Objective Parole Guidelines Act of 1978, permitting the Commission to change a PPRD only upon a showing of new information, institutional conduct or extraordinary circumstances”

Establishes that the Commission's discretion is not unlimited and must be exercised only upon a showing of new information, institutional conduct, or extraordinary circumstances

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Facts & Procedural History

The Commission originally established a presumptive parole release date (PPRD) for Bruce of December 29, 1981, then extended it to January 3, 1995 und…

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Opinion of the Court
PER CURIAM.

PER CURIAM.

The Florida Parole and Probation Commission originally established a presump tive parole release date (PPRD) for the petitioner of December 29, 1981. Utilizing section 947.18, Florida Statutes (1981), the Commission later extended the PPRD to January 3, 1995. Bruce’s request for administrative review was denied and the Commission readhered to its extended date. Being incarcerated in Dade County and claiming a right to immediate release, Bruce filed his petition for habeas corpus with this court, Jenrette v. Wainwright, 410 So. 2d 575 (Fla. 3d DCA 1982), review denied, 419 So. 2d 1201 (Fla.1982), alleging that the Commission improperly extended his presumptive date and refused to grant him an effective release date.

Some time after the petition was filed, the Commission reinstated Bruce’s original PPRD. Thus, the only issue which remains for our consideration is whether the Commission has improperly refused to convert Bruce’s PPRD to an effective parole release date (EPRD). Its refusal to do so was based upon section 947.18, Florida Statutes (1981). This statute has been interpreted by the First District as granting the Commission discretion to refuse to set an effective date, Jackson v. Florida Parole and Probation Commission, 424 So. 2d 930 (Fla. 1st DCA), appeal after remand, 429 So. 2d 1306 (Fla. 1st DCA 1983); Gobie v. Florida Parole and Probation Commission, 416 So. 2d 838 (Fla. 1st DCA), pet. for rev. denied sub nom. Logan v. Florida Parole and Probation Commission, 424 So. 2d 762 (Fla.1982), but such discretion is not unlimited. Rather,

the limited discretion remaining with the Commission under the provisions of section 947.18 must be considered in pari materia with other provisions of the Objective Parole Guidelines Act of 1978, permitting the Commission to change a PPRD only upon a showing of new information, institutional conduct or extraordinary circumstances.

Paige v. Florida Parole and Probation Commission, 434 So. 2d 7, 8 (Fla. 1st DCA 1983).

In refusing to set an EPRD, the Commission in the instant case, as in Jackson and Paige, has relied on the same information it had before it when it originally established the PPRD and when it later revised the date. Because the Commission has done so, we conclude that it has abused its discretion.

Accordingly, the order refusing to convert the petitioner’s PPRD into an EPRD is vacated and the Commission is directed to discharge the petitioner subject to the standard provisions of parole in such cases.


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Citator

Cited By

  • Parole & Prob. Comm'n v. Bruce, 471 So. 2d 7 (Fla. 1985)
    …OVERTON, Justice. This cause is before us on petition to review Bruce v. Florida Parole and Probation Commission, 450 So. 2d 520 (Fla. 3d DCA 1984). The district court held that the Commission had abused its discretion when it refused to convert respondent’s presumptive parole release date into an effective parole release date based upon the same information it had before it…

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