How Many Years for First Degree Murder?

Independently fact-checkedBy Recording Law Editorial TeamPublished June 4, 2026Reviewed August 4, 202610 min read

Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited August 4, 2026). · 10 primary sources cited on this page. How we verify our legal content

Key Takeaways

1First-degree murder requires premeditation and deliberation, which sets it apart from second-degree murder and manslaughter.
2The nationwide sentencing range runs from a 10-year minimum in states such as Arkansas and Idaho up to life without parole or the death penalty.
3As of 2026, 27 states authorize the death penalty; 23 states plus Washington D.C. have abolished it.
4A small group of states, including Iowa, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota, impose life without parole as the mandatory sentence for an adult convicted of first-degree murder, leaving executive clemency as the only route to release.
5Juvenile offenders cannot receive mandatory life without parole after Miller v. Alabama (2012), though discretionary JLWOP is still permitted under Jones v. Mississippi (2021).
6Aggravating factors (multiple victims, prior convictions, killing of a child or law enforcement officer) can push a sentence toward the maximum or into capital territory.
7Parole eligibility for a life sentence varies widely by state: some allow release after 25 years while others do not allow it at all for first-degree murder.

First-degree murder typically carries 25 years to life in prison. In the 27 states that authorize capital punishment, the death penalty is also an option for the most aggravated cases. Some states set the floor much lower: Arkansas allows a first-degree murder sentence of 10 to 40 years or life, and Idaho requires a life sentence with a minimum period of confinement of at least 10 years. Most defendants, however, serve decades before any parole eligibility, assuming parole is available at all.

What Is First-Degree Murder?

First-degree murder is the most serious homicide charge in American law. The defining element is premeditation: the defendant planned or deliberated before killing the victim. Prosecutors do not need to show extensive advance planning; courts have upheld first-degree murder convictions where the defendant formed intent in a matter of seconds, so long as there was a distinct moment of reflection before the act.

Most states define first-degree murder to include:

Willful, deliberate, and premeditated killings
Killings committed during certain inherently dangerous felonies (felony murder, retained in most states)
Killings of specific protected classes of victims (police officers, judges, children under a certain age)

How first-degree differs from second-degree murder: Second-degree murder typically involves an intentional killing without premeditation, or a killing that results from conduct showing extreme recklessness (depraved indifference to human life). The absence of prior planning is the core distinction. For a deeper look, see the difference between first-degree, second-degree, and third-degree murder.

How first-degree differs from capital murder: In Arkansas and a handful of other states, "capital murder" is a separate, higher charge reserved for the most aggravated killings: contract killings, multiple homicides, and killings of law enforcement officers. In Arkansas, capital murder is punishable by death or life imprisonment without parole. First-degree murder in Arkansas sits below that threshold, which is why its sentencing range starts at 10 years rather than at life. For more on that distinction, see what is capital murder.

murder: hands placing a document into a white envelope

The Realistic Sentence Range

Minimums Across the Country

Arkansas: 10 to 40 years or life. Arkansas classifies first-degree murder as a Class Y felony, and the Arkansas Supreme Court has stated the range plainly: a Class Y felony "is punishable by a range of imprisonment of ten to forty years, or life" (Hall v. State, 2022 Ark. 16, citing Ark. Code Ann. 5-4-401(a)(1)). That 10-year floor is among the lowest in the country.

Idaho reaches a comparable floor by a different route. Under Idaho Code 18-4004, where the prosecution does not seek the death penalty, or where no statutory aggravating circumstance is found, the court imposes a life sentence carrying "a minimum period of confinement of not less than ten (10) years" during which the offender is not eligible for parole.

In most states, the floor is far higher:

Many states set a minimum of 25 years before parole eligibility.
A small group of states, including Iowa, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota, impose life without parole on an adult convicted of first-degree murder, or death where capital punishment is authorized and the prosecution seeks it. In those states, no term-of-years minimum applies to an adult, and release can come only through executive clemency. Iowa Code 902.1(1) says so directly: a person convicted of a Class A felony "shall not be released on parole unless the governor commutes the sentence to a term of years." Louisiana's first-degree murder statute, La. R.S. 14:30(C), directs death or life without parole where the district attorney seeks a capital verdict, and life without parole where the district attorney does not. Pennsylvania's murder statute, 18 Pa.C.S. 1102(a)(1), authorizes only death or a term of life imprisonment for murder of the first degree, and a Pennsylvania life sentence carries no parole eligibility.
Defendants who were under 18 at the time of the offense are sentenced under separate provisions in those same states, because Miller v. Alabama bars any mandatory life-without-parole sentence for a juvenile. Iowa Code 902.1(2) gives the sentencing court three options for a juvenile convicted of first-degree murder, two of which carry the possibility of parole, and 18 Pa.C.S. 1102(a)(1) expressly excepts defendants sentenced under section 1102.1. See the juvenile section below.
Most states make life without parole available only where specific aggravating factors are present; otherwise, a term of years or a life-with-parole sentence remains possible.

Two states that are sometimes grouped with the mandatory-LWOP jurisdictions in fact allow a term of years. Neither authorizes capital punishment, so life is the ceiling rather than the floor:

Illinois is not a mandatory-LWOP state. Under 730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-20, first-degree murder carries a determinate term of "not less than 20 years and not more than 60 years," or "not less than 60 years and not more than 100 years when an extended term is imposed," or "natural life as provided in Section 5-8-1." Natural life is one authorized disposition reserved for statutorily specified circumstances, not the automatic result of every conviction.
Maine is not one either. Title 17-A M.R.S. 1603(1) provides that a person convicted of murder "must be sentenced to imprisonment for life or for any term of years that is not less than 25." The sentencing court chooses between the two, and section 1603(2) directs the court to give special weight to aggravating factors including a victim under 6 years old, a pregnant victim, or domestic violence circumstances.

For the full state-by-state table of minimums and maximums, see murder sentencing guidelines.

Life With Parole vs. Life Without Parole (LWOP)

A sentence of "life in prison" does not always mean a person will die behind bars. The critical distinction is whether parole is available.

Life with the possibility of parole means the defendant becomes eligible for parole review after serving a specified number of years (often 25 to 30 for first-degree murder). A parole board then decides whether to grant release. Many inmates serving life with parole are never released even after reaching eligibility.

Life without the possibility of parole (LWOP) means the sentence is permanent. There is no parole hearing, no earned release date, and no mechanism for release other than executive clemency or a successful appeal. LWOP is sometimes called a "true life" sentence.

How long a life sentence actually lasts depends heavily on the state, the specific statute, and whether good-time or earned-time credits apply. For a detailed state-by-state breakdown, see how long is a life sentence.

murder: official government building hallway with marble floors

The Death Penalty in 2026: 27 States Still Authorize It

Capital punishment remains a legal sentencing option in 27 states as of 2026:

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.

23 states plus Washington D.C. have abolished the death penalty. Recent legislative repeals include Virginia (2021), Washington (2023), and Colorado (2020).

Active Moratoria Among the 27

Even among states that retain capital punishment on the books, several are not currently carrying out executions:

California: Governor Newsom issued a moratorium in 2019. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation reported 568 people on condemned status as of July 7, 2026, the population having declined steadily in recent years.
Pennsylvania: A moratorium has been in place since Governor Wolf in 2015, continued by Governor Shapiro.
Ohio: Governor DeWine has paused executions; none are anticipated through 2026.
Oregon: A moratorium has been in place since 2011. Governor Brown commuted all 17 death sentences to LWOP in December 2022, leaving death row empty. The statute remains on the books and Oregon should not be listed as an abolitionist state.

States Where Executions Resumed (2024-2025)

After years of legal delays and drug-shortage litigation, several states carried out executions again:

South Carolina resumed executions in 2024, including the use of the firing squad in 2025.
Louisiana resumed executions in 2025 using nitrogen hypoxia, ending a pause of roughly 15 years.
Tennessee resumed executions on May 22, 2025 under a new single-drug pentobarbital protocol, and carried out three executions that year. Two more are scheduled for 2026, on August 13 and September 30. A separate 2026 execution date was halted in May after staff could not establish a secondary IV line, and Governor Lee granted a one-year reprieve.
Utah executed Taberon Honie on August 8, 2024, the state's first execution in 14 years.
Indiana resumed executions in December 2024.

Recent Legislative Developments

Florida SB 450 (2023) reduced the jury threshold for a death recommendation from unanimous to 8 of 12 jurors.
North Carolina HB 307 (October 2025) added execution methods and shortened capital appeals in an attempt to restart executions after a prolonged pause; roughly 122 people remain on North Carolina's death row.
Idaho made the firing squad its primary execution method under a bill the governor signed on March 12, 2025, with the change taking effect July 1, 2026.
At the federal level, the Biden administration commuted 37 of 40 federal death sentences in December 2024. The Trump administration lifted the federal moratorium in January 2025, with Attorney General Bondi rescinding the prior policy in February 2025.

The Death Penalty Information Center tracks all state-by-state capital punishment activity in real time at deathpenaltyinfo.org.

murder: filing cabinet with organized legal folders

Juvenile Offenders: No Mandatory JLWOP

Courts treat juvenile defendants differently when it comes to life sentences.

Miller v. Alabama (2012) held that mandatory life without parole for juvenile offenders violates the Eighth Amendment's prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. A sentencer must have the ability to consider the defendant's youth and individual circumstances before imposing JLWOP.

Montgomery v. Louisiana (2016) made the Miller rule retroactive, meaning prisoners already serving mandatory JLWOP could seek resentencing.

Jones v. Mississippi (2021) clarified that while mandatory JLWOP is barred, a court does not need to make a separate explicit finding that a juvenile is "permanently incorrigible" before imposing discretionary JLWOP. The sentencer simply must have the discretion to consider youth as a factor.

The practical result: approximately 28 states plus Washington D.C. have now ended JLWOP either legislatively or as a result of these rulings. Juveniles convicted of first-degree murder in those jurisdictions will receive a sentence with some possibility of future release. In the remaining states, JLWOP is still available as a discretionary (not mandatory) option. For sentencing context on younger defendants, the murder sentencing guidelines page covers per-state parole eligibility rules.

Factors That Move a First-Degree Murder Sentence

No two first-degree murder cases produce identical sentences. These factors commonly push the outcome toward the lower or upper end of the statutory range:

Aggravating Factors (Push Toward Maximum or Death)

Prior felony convictions, especially prior violent offenses
Multiple victims
The victim was a law enforcement officer, judge, prosecutor, or child
The killing was committed for hire (contract murder)
The killing was especially heinous, cruel, or depraved
The defendant was on supervised release at the time of the offense

Mitigating Factors (Push Toward Minimum)

No prior criminal history
Defendant's age (young adults and elderly defendants)
Mental illness or intellectual disability
History of abuse or trauma
Cooperation with law enforcement or testimony against co-defendants
Role as a lesser participant in a group offense

Plea Agreements

The majority of first-degree murder convictions, like most felony convictions, resolve through plea deals rather than trials. A defendant who pleads guilty to first-degree murder (or to an agreed-upon lesser charge such as second-degree murder) often receives a sentence below what a jury conviction would likely yield. Prosecutors may agree to take the death penalty off the table, or to recommend a specific term of years, in exchange for a guilty plea.

Capital cases follow the same pattern. A defendant facing a possible death sentence may plead guilty in exchange for the prosecution withdrawing its notice of intent to seek death, which caps the exposure at life imprisonment. Whether that trade is offered depends on the jurisdiction, the aggravating factors charged, and the strength of the evidence.

By-State Highlights: Low Minimums and LWOP States

Rather than listing every state (see murder sentencing guidelines for that), here are notable reference points:

Low minimums (Arkansas and Idaho, 10 years): Arkansas treats first-degree murder as a Class Y felony carrying 10 to 40 years or life (Hall v. State, 2022 Ark. 16). Idaho imposes a life sentence with a minimum period of confinement of at least 10 years where the death penalty is not sought or no statutory aggravating circumstance is found (Idaho Code 18-4004). Note that Arkansas's more serious "capital murder" charge is punishable only by death or life imprisonment without parole (Bienemy v. State, 2025 Ark. 70).
Mandatory LWOP states: Iowa, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota impose life without parole, or death where it is authorized and sought, on adults convicted of first-degree murder, with no parole eligibility regardless of behavior or time served. Defendants who were under 18 at the time of the offense fall under separate provisions, because a mandatory life-without-parole sentence for a juvenile is unconstitutional. Illinois and Maine do not belong on this list: Illinois sets a determinate 20-to-60-year range under 730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-20, and Maine permits either life or a term of at least 25 years under 17-A M.R.S. 1603.
25-years-to-life as the common benchmark: Jurisdictions including California, New York, and many others use a 25-years-to-life structure for non-capital first-degree murder, making defendants eligible for parole consideration at the 25-year mark.
Death-penalty states with active rows: Texas, California (568 people on condemned status as of July 2026, under a moratorium), Florida, and Alabama maintain among the largest death rows in the country.

For anyone researching a specific state's range, the full table is at murder sentencing guidelines.

How First-Degree Murder Compares to Second-Degree

A quick reference on how these charges differ in practice:

Factor	First-Degree Murder	Second-Degree Murder
Premeditation required	Yes	No
Typical minimum	15-25 years (varies)	4-15 years (varies)
LWOP available	Yes, in many states	Yes, in some states
Death penalty eligible	Yes, in 27 states	Generally no

For the complete breakdown, see how many years for second-degree murder and the difference between murder degrees.

Legal Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Sentencing laws change frequently, and outcomes in individual cases depend on facts, jurisdiction, and attorney strategy. If you or someone you know is facing a murder charge, consult a licensed criminal defense attorney in the relevant jurisdiction immediately.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum sentence for first-degree murder?

It depends entirely on the state. Arkansas is among the lowest: first-degree murder there is a Class Y felony carrying 10 to 40 years or life, so the statutory floor is 10 years. Idaho reaches a 10-year floor by a different route, requiring a life sentence with a minimum period of confinement of at least 10 years. Most states set the floor much higher, commonly 15, 20, or 25 years before any parole eligibility. A small group of states impose life without parole on adults, so no term-of-years minimum applies at all.

Do you get life for first-degree murder?

In most states, yes. A life sentence is the standard or maximum outcome for first-degree murder. Whether that means life with the possibility of parole or life without parole depends on the state, the facts of the case, and whether any mandatory-minimum statutes apply. Some states reserve LWOP for cases with aggravating factors; others make it automatic.

Can you get parole for first-degree murder?

It depends on the state and the specific sentence. If a defendant receives a life-with-parole sentence, they typically become eligible for parole review after 25 to 30 years in most jurisdictions. However, parole is never guaranteed: boards can deny release even after eligibility is reached. A small group of states, including Iowa, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota, impose life without parole on adults convicted of first-degree murder and allow no parole at all, leaving executive clemency as the only route out. Defendants who were under 18 at the time of the offense are sentenced under separate provisions, because a mandatory life-without-parole sentence for a juvenile is unconstitutional. Illinois and Maine are not mandatory-LWOP states: Illinois sets a 20-to-60-year determinate range under 730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-20, and Maine allows a term of years of at least 25 under 17-A M.R.S. 1603.

How many states have the death penalty?

As of 2026, 27 states authorize the death penalty for first-degree murder in the most aggravated cases. Twenty-three states plus Washington D.C. have abolished it. Of the 27 states that retain it, four (California, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Oregon) have active moratoria and are not carrying out executions, though the statute remains on the books in each.

What is the difference between life and life without parole?

A sentence of life with the possibility of parole means the defendant will serve a mandatory minimum (often 25 years for first-degree murder) and then face periodic parole board reviews. Release is possible but not guaranteed. Life without parole (LWOP) means the sentence is permanent with no parole hearings, no release date, and no earned exit. The only paths out are executive clemency or a successful post-conviction appeal.

Can a juvenile receive a life sentence for first-degree murder?

Yes, but not a mandatory one. The Supreme Court ruled in Miller v. Alabama (2012) that mandatory life without parole for juvenile offenders is unconstitutional. Courts must have the discretion to consider the defendant's youth and circumstances. Discretionary JLWOP is still permitted after Jones v. Mississippi (2021). About 28 states and D.C. have gone further and ended juvenile LWOP entirely.

Does a plea deal reduce a first-degree murder sentence?

Often, yes. Most felony cases, including murder cases, resolve through negotiated pleas rather than trials. A prosecutor may offer to charge second-degree murder, accept a guilty plea to first-degree murder with a specific sentence recommendation, or agree to take the death penalty off the table in capital cases. The actual reduction depends on the facts, the jurisdiction, and the strength of the evidence.

Updates

August 4, 2026

Corrected the state lists: Illinois and Maine were wrongly described as mandatory life-without-parole states, when Illinois sets a 20-to-60-year range and Maine allows life or a term of at least 25 years. Removed the claim that Arkansas has the country's lowest first-degree murder minimum, since Idaho sets the same 10-year floor, and added the Arkansas Supreme Court decisions that state the Class Y sentencing range. Clarified that in the mandatory life-without-parole states the sentence applies to adults, with executive clemency as the only route to release, and that defendants who were under 18 are sentenced under separate provisions. Also refreshed California's death-row count to 568 as of July 2026 and updated Tennessee's execution schedule.

August 4, 2026

Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources

June 3, 2026

Full rewrite from a 394-word stub into a current guide to first-degree murder sentencing: 25-years-to-life or death, the 10-year Arkansas minimum, life with vs without parole, the 27 death-penalty states as of 2026 (with moratoria and 2024-2025 resumptions), aggravating/mitigating factors, and the no-mandatory-JLWOP rule for juveniles.

The Law Behind This Article

This article rests on the statutory provisions below, held in our own legal record and retrieved from the official source. Tap a section to read the operative text.

Iowa Code, Chapter 902: FELONIES

§ 902.1Class “A” felony.In forcecited in 2 of our articles

1. Upon a plea of guilty, a verdict of guilty, or a special verdict upon which a judgment of conviction of a class “A” felony may be rendered, the court shall enter a judgment of conviction and shall commit the defendant into the custody of the director of the Iowa department of corrections for the rest of the defendant’s life. Nothing in the Iowa corrections code pertaining to deferred judgment, deferred sentence, suspended sentence, or reconsideration of sentence applies to a class “A” felony, and a person convicted of a class “A” felony shall not be released on parole unless the governor commutes the sentence to a term of years. 2. a. Notwithstanding subsection 1, a defendant convicted of murder in the first degree in violation of section 707.2, and who was under the age of eighteen at the time the offense was committed shall receive one of the following sentences: (1) Commitment to the director of the department of corrections for the rest of the defendant’s life with no possibility of parole unless the governor commutes the sentence to a term of years.

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legis.iowa.gov

Cited in 58 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2025

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

State of Iowa v. Jeffrey K. Ragland (Supreme Court of Iowa 2013, 836 N.W.2d 107)“…e murder. See 2011 Iowa Acts ch. 131, § 147 (codified at Iowa Code § 902.1 (2)(a)). For now, I would simply emphas…”
State of Iowa v. Damion John Seats (Supreme Court of Iowa 2015)“…to life without parole on the murder charge. See Iowa Code § 902.1 (“Upon a . . . verdict of guilty, . . .…”
State of Iowa v. Keyon Harrison (Supreme Court of Iowa 2018)“…ility of immediate parole. 908 N.W.2d at 843, 856 (quoting Iowa Code § 902.1(2)(a)(2)). B. Applying the Felon…”

Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.

Also relied on in: How Long Is a Life Sentence in Iowa? (2026 Guide)

Idaho Code

§ 18-4004Punishment for murder. Subject to the provisions of sections 19-2515 and 19-2515A, Idaho Code, every person guilty of murder of the first degree shall be punished by death or by imprisonment for life, provided that a sentence of death shall not be imposed unless the prosecuting attorney filed written notice of intent to seek the death penalty as required under the provisions of section 18-4004A, Idaho Code, and provided further that whenever the death penalty is not imposed the court shall impose a sentence. If a jury, or the court if a jury is waived, finds a statutory aggravating circumstance beyond a reasonable doubt but finds that the imposition of the death penalty would be unjust, the court shall impose a fixed life sentence. If a jury, or the court if a jury is waived, does not find a statutory aggravating circumstance beyond a reasonable doubt or if the death penalty is not sought, the court shall impose a life sentence with a minimum period of confinement of not less than tenIn forcecited in 3 of our articles

18-4004. Punishment for murder. Subject to the provisions of sections 19-2515 and 19-2515A, Idaho Code, every person guilty of murder of the first degree shall be punished by death or by imprisonment for life, provided that a sentence of death shall not be imposed unless the prosecuting attorney…

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-08-01 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legislature.idaho.gov

Cited in 55 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2025

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

State v. Azad Haji Abdullah (Idaho Supreme Court 2015, 158 Idaho 386)“…possible punishment. I.C. § 18-4004 (Michie 2002). In fact, Idaho Code section 18-4004 has prescribed a punishment of death fo…”
State v. Herrera (Idaho Supreme Court 2018, 431 P.3d 275)“…the fixed term was greater than the duration authorized by Idaho Code section 18-4004, the statute governing punishment for m…”
State v. Enno (Idaho Supreme Court 1991, 119 Idaho 392)“…ould have been imposed in this case was the death penalty. Idaho Code § 18-4004 . In all cases in which the death penal…”

Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.

Also relied on in: Murder Laws in the United States, How Long Is a Life Sentence in Idaho? (2026 Guide)

Louisiana Revised Statutes

§ 14:30First degree murderIn forcecited in 3 of our articles

A. First degree murder is the killing of a human being: (1) When the offender has specific intent to kill or to inflict great bodily harm and is engaged in the perpetration or attempted perpetration of aggravated kidnapping, second degree kidnapping, aggravated escape, aggravated arson, aggravated or first degree rape, forcible or second degree rape, aggravated burglary, armed robbery, assault by drive-by shooting, first degree robbery, second degree robbery, simple robbery, terrorism, cruelty to juveniles, second degree cruelty to juveniles, or cruelty to the elderly and persons with infirmities. (2) When the offender has a specific intent to kill or to inflict great bodily harm upon a fireman, peace officer, or civilian employee of the Louisiana State Police Crime Laboratory or any other forensic laboratory engaged in the performance of his lawful duties, or when the specific intent to kill or to inflict great bodily harm is directly related to the victim's status as a fireman, peace officer, or civilian employee. (3) When the offender has a specific intent to kill or to inflict great bodily harm upon more than one person.

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legis.la.gov

Cited in 1,034 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

State v. Leger (Supreme Court of Louisiana 2006, 936 So. 2d 108)“…1, 2001 first degree murder of Troy Salone, in violation of La. R.S. 14:30. Other, non-capital charges, were inclu…”
State v. Draughn (Supreme Court of Louisiana 2007, 950 So. 2d 583)“…first degree murder of Lauretta White, [1] in violation of La. R.S. 14:30. Trial commenced with jury selection be…”
State v. Ortiz (Supreme Court of Louisiana 1997, 701 So. 2d 922)“…f Tracie Williams Ortiz and Cheryl Mallory, in violation of La. R.S. 14:30. After trial by jury, defendant was fou…”

Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.

Also relied on in: How Long Is a Life Sentence in Louisiana? (2026 Guide)

Maine Revised Statutes, Title 17-A: MAINE CRIMINAL CODE, Part 6: PUNISHMENTS, Chapter 63: SENTENCES OF IMPRISONMENT

§ 1603Imprisonment for crime of murderIn forcecited in 2 of our articles

1. Sentence. A person convicted of the crime of murder must be sentenced to imprisonment for life or for any term of years that is not less than 25. The sentence of the court must specify the length of the sentence to be served and must commit the person to the Department of Corrections. 2. Factors of domestic violence or victim's age or pregnancy. In setting a term of imprisonment pursuant to subsection 1, the court shall assign special weight to each of the following 3 factors as they relate to the sentencing procedure in section 1602, subsection 2: A. That the victim is a child who had not in fact attained 6 years of age at the time the crime was committed; [PL 2019, c. 113, Pt. A, §2 (NEW).] B. That the victim is a woman whom the convicted individual knew or had reasonable cause to believe to be in fact pregnant at the time the crime was committed; and [PL 2019, c. 113, Pt. A, §2 (NEW).] C. That the victim is a family or household member as defined in Title 19‑A, section 4102, subsection 6, paragraphs A to E or a dating partner as defined in Title 19‑A, section 4102, subsection 4 who is a victim of domestic violence committed by the convicted individual. [PL 2023, c.

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legislature.maine.gov

Cited in 7 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2025

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

State of Maine v. Sharon Carrillo (Supreme Judicial Court of Maine 2021, 248 A.3d 193)“…A-1, A-2 (emergency, effective May 16, 2019) (codified at 17-A M.R.S. § 1603 (2020)); see State v. De St. Croix, 202…”
State of Maine v. Noah Gaston (Supreme Judicial Court of Maine 2021, 250 A.3d 137)“…A-1, A-2 (emergency, effective May 16, 2019) (codified at 17-A M.R.S. § 1603 (2021)); see State v. De St. Croix, 202…”
State of Maine v. John De St. Croix (Supreme Judicial Court of Maine 2020, 243 A.3d 880)“…A-1, A-2 (emergency, effective May 16, 2019) (codified at 17-A M.R.S. § 1603 (2020)); see State v. Hardy, 489 A.2d 5…”