Hicks v. State
Will consider whether Wyoming’s “cruel or unusual” punishment clause provides greater protections against mandatory life-without-parole sentences for late adolescents (those who were under 21 at the time of the crime) than the federal Eighth Amendment does. Will also consider whether such sentences violate state constitutional clauses providing the “penal code shall be framed on the humane principles of reformation and prevention” and for equal protection.
Related Commentary
State Court Oral Arguments to Watch for in May
Issues on the dockets include limits on a reform-minded prosecutor, automatic life sentences for late adolescents, and a ban on misgendering LGBTQ+ senior citizens.