HAWTHORNE PASSAIC COUNTY NEW JERSEY FAMILY LAW MEDIATION ATTORNEY

Terrance Graham committed armed burglary when he was 16. Joe Sullivan committed sexual battery when he was 13. Both are currently serving life sentences in Florida with no possibility of parole. They argue sentencing a juvenile to life imprisonment without parole violates the 8th Amendment ban on cruel and unusual punishments. Florida counters such sentences are not constitutionally barred and reflect a state's considered legislative response to the growing problem of juvenile crime. In this case, the U.S. Supreme Court will determine whether juveniles may be sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for committing non-homicide offenses.   Graham et al. v. Florida, United States Supreme Court, November 2, 2009