Jermaine C. Jackson, Petitioner v. State of Florida, Respondent — Pariente, J., Dissenting

Summary

Justice Pariente dissents, arguing that the 2008 amendment to Florida’s youthful‑offender eligibility provision, which bases eligibility on a defendant’s age at sentencing rather than at the time of the offense, arbitrarily infringes the defendant’s fundamental right to a trial and therefore violates substantive due process. The dissent contends the change lacks a rational relationship to its stated objectives and coerces defendants to plead guilty to preserve youthful‑offender status.