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****************************************************** The ``officially released'' date that appears near the beginning of each opinion is the date the opinion will be published in the Connecticut Law Journal or the date it was released as a slip opinion. The operative date for the beginning of all time periods for filing postopinion motions and petitions for certification is the ``officially released'' date appearing in the opinion. In no event will any such motions be accepted before the ``officially released'' date. All opinions are subject to modification and technical correction prior to official publication in the Connecticut Reports and Connecticut Appellate Reports. In the event of discrepancies between the electronic version of an opinion and the print version appearing in the Connecticut Law Journal and subsequently in the Connecticut Reports or Connecticut Appellate Reports, the latest print version is to be considered authoritative. The syllabus and procedural history accompanying the opinion as it appears on the Commission on Official Legal Publications Electronic Bulletin Board Service and in the Connecticut Law Journal and bound volumes of official reports are copyrighted by the Secretary of the State, State of Connecticut, and may not be reproduced and distributed without the express written permission of the Commission on Official Legal Publications, Judicial Branch, State of Connecticut. ****************************************************** CARLOS M. RIVERA v. COMMISSIONER OF CORRECTION (SC 15938)
Callahan, C. J., and Borden, Norcott, Katz, Palmer, McDonald, Vertefeuille, Js.1 Argued April 21, 1999--officially released August 15, 2000 Counsel

Steven R. Strom, assistant attorney general, with whom, on the brief, were Richard Blumenthal, attorney general, and Gregory T. D'Auria, Richard T. Biggar and Madeline Melchionne, assistant attorneys general, for the appellant (respondent). James Park, certified legal intern, with whom was Brett Dignam, for the appellee (petitioner). Leonard W. Engel filed a brief for the Connecticut Correctional Ombudsman, Inc., as amicus curiae. Temmy Ann Pieszak filed a brief for the habeas corpus unit of the office of the chief public defender as amicus curiae.
Opinion

PALMER, J. The principal issue raised by this certi-

fied appeal is whether a prisoner who is serving multiple concurrent and consecutive sentences is entitled to have his total number of earned good time credits2 applied to reduce his total effective term of imprisonment. We conclude that he is. The relevant facts and procedural history are undisputed. ``The petitioner [was placed] in the custody of the [respondent] commissioner of correction [(commissioner) on] June 17, 1989, when he was arrested and held in lieu of bond on a charge of a violation of General Statutes [Rev. to 1989]

Download Rivera v. Commissioner of Correction (dissent below).pdf

Connecticut Law