Opinion ID: 1466605
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Validity of Judicial Parole

Text: The state seems to question the validity of judicial parole. The judge's order labels his action judicial parole to be supervised in Clay County by division of probation and parole under the court's authority. This label fits the description in Missouri statutes. [9] Parole, under Missouri statutes, is not exclusively an executive branch function of the board of probation and parole. Parole is defined in section 217.650(4) as the release of an offender to the community by the court or the state board of probation and parole prior to the expiration of his term, subject to conditions imposed by the court or the board and to its supervision;.... (Emphasis added.) Section 559.221 says that the courts and the board of probation and parole shall have and exercise concurrent powers of probation and parole. [10] Thus, Estes can be granted parole by the board of probation and parole, as an executive function under its statutory authority, or by the sentencing court as authorized by section 558.016.8. The statutory authority is concurrent. There is no conflict. The sentencing court's order of judicial parole under section 558.016.8 is valid. The preliminary writ of prohibition is quashed. All concur.