Dimetrious Woods Missouri Cases

Dimetrious Woods, convicted of drug trafficking, sought a declaratory judgment against the Missouri Department of Corrections, arguing that the repeal of section 195.295, RSMo, rendered him eligible for parole. The circuit court sustained Woods's motion for judgment on the pleadings, leading to his parole. The Missouri Supreme Court reversed, holding that the repeal of section 195.295 had no effect on Woods's parole ineligibility, consistent with its concurrently decided case, Mitchell v. Jones.

Dimetrious Woods sought a declaratory judgment against the Missouri Department of Corrections, arguing that a repealed statute eliminating parole ineligibility for prior drug offenders applied retroactively to his sentence for drug trafficking. The circuit court granted Woods's motion, but the appellate court reversed, holding that the repealed statute was part of the substantive law governing Woods's offense and therefore did not apply retroactively under section 1.160. Given the importance and recurring nature of the issue, the appellate court transferred the case to the Missouri Supreme Court.