November 18, 2025

Marcus Taylor v. State of Mississippi

No. 2023-CA-00738-COA

Today, the Mississippi Court of Appeals granted rehearing and issued a substituted opinion reversing an illegal fifteen-year sentence imposed on our client, Marcus Taylor. In a significant en banc decision, the Court held that Mr. Taylor had been sentenced to a term of imprisonment beyond the five years authorized by statute for the offense to which he pled guilty. Because the trial court exceeded its statutory authority, the excessive portion of the sentence was void and could not stand.

The Court traced more than a century of Mississippi precedent establishing that when a trial court imposes a punishment beyond what the Legislature allows, the judgment is void to the extent of the excess. Reinforcing this principle, the Court exercised its inherent authority to correct the error and rendered judgment, ordering Mr. Taylor’s immediate release from custody.

This case underscores the judiciary’s constitutional duty to ensure that no person in Mississippi is held under a sentence not authorized by law. We are honored to have represented Mr. Taylor in securing this result.