Galaz v. Stewart

OPINION

BERCH, Justice.

¶ 1 The Arizona Department of Corrections asks this court to determine whether the commutation of Petitioner Galaz’s two concurrent sentences from “twenty-five years to life” in prison to 19.75 years also converted the manner in which the sentences were to be served from “flat time” to “soft time.” We hold that it did not. We have jurisdiction pursuant to Arizona Revised Statutes (“A.R.S.”) section 12-120.24 (2003) and Article 6, Section 5(3) of the Arizona Constitution.

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

¶2 In 1987, Gilbert Navarro Galaz was sentenced to serve two concurrent…