weaver graham argued november decided february held florida statute repealing earlier statute reducing amount gain time good conduct obedience prison rules deducted convicted prisoner sentence unconstitutional ex post facto law applied petitioner whose crime committed statute enactment pp criminal penal law ex post facto must retrospective must apply events occurring enactment must disadvantage offender affected lindsey washington calder bull dall need impair vested right even statute merely alters penal provisions accorded grace legislature violates ex post facto clause retrospective onerous law effect date offense pp effect form law determines whether ex post facto although florida statute face applies effective date respondent conceded statute used calculate gain time available prisoners petitioner convicted acts committed statute effective date regardless whether prospect gain time technical sense part petitioner sentence statute substantially alters consequences attached crime already completed changing quantum punishment thus retrospective law constitutionally applied petitioner detriment pp florida statute disadvantageous petitioner similarly situated prisoners reduction gain time available repealed statute abiding prison rules adequately performing assigned tasks lengthens period someone petitioner position must spend prison immaterial statutory provisions also enacted whereby prisoner might earn extra gain time satisfying extra conditions award extra gain time purely discretionary contingent correctional authorities wishes inmate special behavior thus none provisions extra gain time compensates reduction gain time available solely good conduct new provision therefore constricts inmate opportunity earn early release thereby makes onerous punishment crimes committed enactment pp marshall delivered opinion brennan stewart white powell stevens joined blackmun filed opinion concurring judgment burger joined post rehnquist filed opinion concurring judgment post thomas macdonald appointment argued cause filed briefs petitioner wallace allbritton assistant attorney general florida argued cause respondent brief jim smith attorney general justice marshall delivered opinion florida like many rewards convicted prisoner good conduct obedience prison rules using statutory formula reduces portion sentence must serve case consider whether florida statute altering availability gain time good conduct unconstitutional ex post facto law applied petitioner whose crime committed statute enactment relevant facts undisputed petitioner pleaded guilty murder crime charged occurred january may petitioner convicted sentenced prison term years less time already served state statute place date offense date sentencing provided formula deducting credits sentences every prisoner committed infraction rules regulations division laws state performed faithful diligent industrious orderly peaceful manner work duties tasks assigned stat according formula credits calculated month accumulate increasing rate time prisoner already served thus statute directed authorities shall grant following deductions prisoner sentence gain time good conduct five days per month first second years sentence ten days per month third fourth years sentence fifteen days per month fifth succeeding years sentence stat three days per month first second years sentence six days per month third fourth years sentence nine days per month fifth succeeding years sentence stat petitioner acting pro se sought writ habeas corpus florida ground new statute applied ex post facto law prohibited florida constitutions alleged reduced accumulation monthly credits provided new statute extend required time prison years approximately percent original sentence state summarily denied petition relied decision companion case raising issue reasoned gain time allowance act grace rather vested right may withdrawn modified denied harris wainwright granted certiorari reverse ii ex post facto prohibition forbids congress enact law imposes punishment act punishable time committed imposes additional punishment prescribed cummings missouri wall see lindsey washington rooney north dakota medley calder bull dall prohibition framers sought assure legislative acts give fair warning effect permit individuals rely meaning explicitly changed dobbert florida kring missouri calder bull supra ban also restricts governmental power restraining arbitrary potentially vindictive legislation malloy south carolina kring missouri supra fletcher peck cranch calder bull supra paterson federalist madison hamilton accord purposes decisions prescribe two critical elements must present criminal penal law ex post facto must retrospective must apply events occurring enactment must disadvantage offender affected lindsey washington supra calder bull supra contrary reasoning florida law need impair vested right violate ex post facto prohibition evaluating whether right vested important claims contracts due process clauses solely protect entitlements see wood lovett dodge board education see also railroad retirement board fritz presence absence affirmative enforceable right relevant however ex post facto prohibition forbids imposition punishment severe punishment assigned law act punished occurred critical relief ex post facto clause individual right less punishment lack fair notice governmental restraint legislature increases punishment beyond prescribed crime consummated thus even statute merely alters penal provisions accorded grace legislature violates clause retrospective onerous law effect date offense consider florida statute light two considerations respondent maintains florida law altering availability gain time retrospective face applies effective date brief respondent argument fails acknowledge effect form law determines whether ex post facto critical question whether law changes legal consequences acts completed effective date context case question recast asking whether stat applies prisoners convicted acts committed provision effective date clearly answer affirmative respondent concedes state uses implemented january calculate gain time available petitioner convicted crime occurring january thus provision attaches legal consequences crime committed law took effect nonetheless respondent contends state revised provision retrospective predecessor part original sentence thus part punishment annexed crime time petitioner sentenced brief respondent contention foreclosed precedents first need determine whether prospect gain time technical sense part sentence conclude fact one determinant petitioner prison term effective sentence altered determinant changed see lindsey washington greenfield scafati supp mass summarily aff see also rodriguez parole elimination parole eligibility held ex post facto violation previously recognized prisoner eligibility reduced imprisonment significant factor entering defendant decision plea bargain judge calculation sentence imposed wolff mcdonnell warden marrero see de simone durant second held statute may retrospective even alters punitive conditions outside sentence thus concluded statute requiring solitary confinement prior execution ex post facto applied someone committed capital offense prior enactment applied prospectively compare medley holden minnesota see also cummings missouri wall prisoners committed crimes enactment substantially alters consequences attached crime already completed therefore changes quantum punishment see dobbert florida therefore retrospective law constitutionally applied petitioner detriment whether retrospective state criminal statute ameliorates worsens conditions imposed predecessor federal question lindsey washington supra see malloy south carolina rooney north dakota inquiry looks challenged provision special circumstances may mitigate effect particular individual dobbert florida supra lindsey washington supra rooney north dakota supra inquiry conclude disadvantageous petitioner similarly situated prisoners face statute reduces number monthly credits available inmate abides prison rules adequately performs assigned tasks definition reduction accumulation lengthens period someone petitioner position must spend prison lindsey washington supra reasoned plainly substantial disadvantage petitioners deprived opportunity receive sentence give freedom custody control prior expiration term petitioner similarly disadvantaged reduced opportunity shorten time prison simply good conduct greenfield scafati supra affirmed judgment district found ex post facto violation application statute denying gain time first six months parole revocation inmate whose crime occurred statute enactment inmate disadvantaged new restrictions eligibility release vein greenfield found distinction depriving prisoner right earn good conduct deductions right qualify hence earn parole materially alters situation accused disadvantage quoting medley supra see also murphy commonwealth mass respondent argues inquiry end point stat must examined conjunction provisions enacted brief respondent respondent claims net effect provisions increased availability deductions doubt legislature intended provisions promote rehabilitation create incentives specified productive conduct see stat none provisions extra gain time compensates reduction gain time available solely good conduct fact remains inmate performs satisfactory work avoids disciplinary violations obtain gain time per month repealed provision conduct new provision make difference inmate satisfy extra conditions specified discretionary provisions even award extra gain time purely discretionary contingent wishes correctional authorities special behavior inmate saving life diligent performance academic program stat contrast new old statutes inmate automatically entitled monthly gain time simply avoiding disciplinary infractions performing assigned tasks compare stat thus new provision constricts inmate opportunity earn early release thereby makes onerous punishment crimes committed enactment result runs afoul prohibition ex post facto laws iii find stat void applied petitioner whose crime occurred effective date therefore reverse judgment florida remand case proceedings inconsistent opinion reversed remanded footnotes statute also provided extra discretionary good time based factors see infra minor language differences new provision directing correctional authorities department offender rehabilitation make deductions phrase performed satisfactory acceptable manner work duties tasks assigned stat replaces former phrase performed faithful diligent industrious orderly peaceful manner work duties tasks assigned stat new version also explicitly adds deductions made monthly basis earned appears codify previous practice state assigned significance differences evaluating ex post facto claim party assert minor language changes relevant inquiry saving clause limiting act application included laws ch applying new schedule prisoners like petitioner secretary department offender rehabilitation relied legal opinion attorney general florida op atty state shall pass ex post facto law art cl florida constitution similarly provides ex post facto law shall passed fla art see also fla art forbidding state legislature enact statute affect ing prosecution punishment offense previously committed petitioner estimated tentative expiration date stat december app state calculated application new provision starting effective date resulted projected release date february state dispute petitioner contention difference two years stake florida also distinguished cases jurisdictions striking retrospective statutes eliminated allowance gain time specified situations revised entire scheme criminal penalties extended incarceration juvenile offenders distinguishing dowd sims ind goldsworthy hannifin dewing cal valenzuela cal app cal rptr art cl art cl much importance onvention attach ex post facto prohibition found twice constitution kring missouri enhancement crime penalty seems come within mischief creation creation crime penalty fact calder bull paterson see also fletcher peck cranch ex post facto law one renders act punishable manner punishable committed ex post facto prohibition also upholds separation powers confining legislature penal decisions prospective effect judiciary executive applications existing penal law cf ogden blackledge cranch see jaehne new york portion legislation void endeavor reach retroactive operation acts committed quoting cooley constitutional limitations ed also held ex post facto violation occurs change effected merely procedural increase punishment change ingredients offense ultimate facts necessary establish guilt hopt utah see dobbert florida alteration substantial right however merely procedural even statute takes seemingly procedural form thompson utah kring missouri supra using concept vested rights harris wainwright florida apparently drew test evaluating retrospective laws civil context see sands sutherland statutory construction ed hochman constitutionality retroactive legislation harv rev smead rule retroactive legislation basic principle jurisprudence rev discussion vested rights seldom appeared ex post facto analysis identifying whether challenged change substantive rather procedural hopt utah supra engages ex post facto analysis concerned solely whether statute assigns disadvantageous criminal penal consequences act law place act occurred irrelevant whether statutory change touches vested rights several state courts properly distinguished vested rights ex post facto concerns state curtis la state ex rel woodward board parole la murphy commonwealth mass respondent advances several theories incorporate vested rights approach example respondent defends stat ground take away gain time petitioner already earned brief respondent although point might pertinence petitioner alleging due process violation see wolff mcdonnell relevance ex post facto claim durant adkins bordenkircher goldsworthy hannifin see murphy commonwealth supra constitution deals substance shadows inhibition levelled thing name intended rights citizen secure deprivation past conduct legislative enactment form however disguised cummings missouri wall see app affidavit louie wainwright secretary department corrections even sentence issue law may retrospective alters length sentence also changes maximum sentence discretionary mandatory lindsey washington critical question florida often acknowledged whether new provision imposes greater punishment commission offense merely whether increases criminal sentence greene state higginbotham state herberle liquidating app thus dobbert florida held ex post facto violation challenged provisions changed role jury judge sentencing add quantum punishment malloy south carolina concluded change method execution ex post facto evidence showed new method humane change execution method retrospective provisions permit discretionary grants additional gain time inmates satisfy requirement also deserve extra reward designated categories special days may granted inmate outstanding deed saving life assisting recapturing escaped inmate another provision specifies inmate may granted one six extra days per month faithfully performs assignments given conscientious manner may normally expected also either shows desire better average inmate diligently participates approved course academic vocation study inmate may awarded one credit labor evaluated basis diligence inmate quality quantity work performed skill required performance work finally inmates unable qualify previous provision due age illness infirmity confinement reasons discipline additional gain time six days per month may granted constructive utilization time addition new sources extra gain time reiterate previous opportunities provided statute state regulation compare stat extra allowance meritorious conduct exceptional industry stat authorizing administrative rules governing additional gain time admin code rule gain time construction labor project stat rule gain time outstanding deed moreover statute existence petitioner crime occurred department corrections enjoyed greater discretion reasons awarding extra gain time amount awarded see respondent put prisoner stay trouble brief respondent monthly provision time petitioner offense directed department corrections shall award gain time obey rules perform work satisfactorily stat stat discretionary extra gain time fully compensate reduced accumulation gain time good behavior discretionary credit uncertain cf medley rejecting nondisclosure execution date ex post facto increase uncertainty mental anxiety moreover replacement mandatory sentence reduction discretionary sentence reduction permissible light lindsey washington rejected ex post facto violation legislative change flexible sentencing mandatory maximum sentencing retrospective legislation restricted defendants opportunity serve less maximum time prison need give lengthy consideration respondent claim challenged statute stat merely procedural alter punishment prescribed petitioner offense brief respondent contention incorrect given uncontested fact new provision reduces quantity gain time automatically available merely alter procedures allocation see supra part respondent reliance general statement legislative intent unrelated provision see brief respondent citing stat also unpersuasive proper relief upon conclusion state prisoner treated ex post facto law remand permit state apply possible law place crime occurred see lindsey washington supra medley supra remanding relief note ex post facto portion new law void petitioner therefore severable provisions ex post facto may still applied see sands sutherland statutory construction ed justice blackmun chief justice joins concurring judgment writing clean slate vote affirm judgment florida thesis florida statute operates prospectively affect petitioner credits earned accumulated prior effective date statute good time gain time something earned part inherent sentence imposed new statute remove petitioner hope portion opportunity sentence therefore enhanced statute addition reveals ante statutory change means entirely restrictive certain respects lenient careful preservation prisoner new statute provisions clearly implies ante page precedents however particularly lindsey washington summary disposition greenfield scafati supp mass aff although warmly persuasive look way thus must accede judgment justice rehnquist concurring judgment find case close one recently noted axiomatic law ex post facto must onerous prior law dobbert florida petitioner clearly disadvantaged loss opportunity accrue gain time good conduct pursuant formula legislature changed formula new statute however also afforded petitioner opportunities available prior law earn additional gain time beyond formula case resolved simply comparing formula formula must compare two statutory procedures toto determine new may fairly characterized onerous ibid persuaded case albeit without doubt new statute onerous old amount gain time accrued automatically solely good conduct substantially reduced reduction offset availability discretionary awards gain time activities extending beyond simply staying trouble say however reduction automatic gain time however slight ever offset increases availability discretionary gain time however great reductions amount credit good conduct never offset increases availability credit earned merely good conduct since availability new opportunities discretionary gain time reduction amount automatic gain time viewed total package must emphasized nothing today decision compels florida provide prisoners petitioner position benefits new provisions held florida may require prisoners pay price clear florida legislature intended make available new discretionary gain time prisoners earning automatic gain time old formula legislature fact reduced formula enacted new provisions question course one florida resolve points gain time available old scheme beyond formula ante convinced new sources simply reiterate opportunities previously available example dispute several new sources gain time analogues previous statutory administrative scheme see stat six days gain time per month age illness infirmity confinement reasons discipline six days per month inmates diligently participate approved course academic vocational study new statutory provisions administrative counterparts improved substantially availability gain time example old administrative system inmate receive days gain time per month constructive labor admin code rule new statutory scheme inmate receive day gain time every day constructive labor stat