Jeff Utley v. Department of Corrections

This appeal involves a dispute between a prisoner and the Department of Correction regarding his punishment for two unrelated disciplinary offenses. On both occasions, the Department extended the prisoner's release eligibility date in accordance with versions of Tenn. Dep't Corr. Policy Index No. 502.02 issued after he committed the crimes for which he was incarcerated. The prisoner filed a complaint in the Chancery Court for Davidson County asserting that the Department's application of the later version of the policy to him violated the Ex Post Facto Clause of the United States Constitution. The trial court granted the Department's Tenn. R. Civ. P. 12.02(6) motion, and the prisoner has appealed. We have determined that the prisoner's complaint fails to state a colorable ex post facto claim under either the federal or state constitution. Accordingly, we affirm the dismissal of the prisoner's complaint.