Howell v. Snyder

Plaintiff, Todd S. Howell, is serving a 4 1/2-year sentence in the Department of Corrections (DOC). Defendant, Donald N. Snyder, Jr. (Director), is the Director of the DOC. Plaintiff filed a petition for an order of mandamus in connection with the Director’s refusal to award him meritorious good-time credit. 730 ILCS 5/3 — 6—3(a)(3) (West 2000). The trial court granted the Director’s motion to dismiss. In the unusual circumstances of this case, we conclude that mandamus does lie, and we reverse and remand.

I. BACKGROUND

Plaintiff alleges that the Director has imposed an unwritten policy of…