The process of obtaining judicial release begins with filing a motion to the sentencing court. One of the most critical parts of your application is a memorandum that establishes the reasons you think you should be given early release from prison. This includes information pertaining to any programs and treatments you have gone through during your imprisonment and an explanation of your rehabilitation progress.
To file for judicial release, you must meet the minimum stay requirements for the duration of your sentence.
The time restrictions for filing include:
Less than two years: after your prison sentence begins
Two to five years: after 180 days
Exactly five years: after four years
Five to 10 years: after five years
More than 10 years: after half the sentence
For those who have a mandatory and non-mandatory prison sentence, the time they serve for their mandatory sentence does not count towards the time restrictions for their non-mandatory sentence. In other words, you must complete the mandatory sentence before you start counting the days until you can file for judicial release for the non-mandatory sentence.