Varner v. Indiana Parole Board

SULLIVAN, Justice.

When the five-member Parole Board denied an inmate parole by a vote in which only four members participated, the inmate sought to compel a vote by all five members. The statute governing final decisions by the Parole Board requires the "fall parole board" to make the determination. We find that a majority of the Board constitutes the "full parole board" for this purpose. As such, the inmate received a decision from the board that accorded with the statute's requirements.

Background

On October 9, 2008, four out of the five members of the Indiana Parole Board conducted a hearing…