Successive Sentences Definition and Legal Meaning

On this page, you'll find the legal definition and meaning of Successive Sentences, written in plain English, along with examples of how it is used.

What is Successive Sentences?

(n) Successive sentence is used to represent the punishment which cannot be served as concurrent. That is if a culprit is sentenced on 3 crimes and sentenced for 15,10, 5 years for separate crimes he has to undergo the punishment for all the three periods that is 30 years. Where as in concurrent punishment he need to serve only the maximum period of the three punishment that is 15 years.

History and Meaning of Successive Sentences

Successive sentences refer to a type of punishment where a defendant is sentenced separately for each crime they have been convicted of, and the sentences are served one after the other, rather than concurrently. This type of sentencing is often used for more serious offenses and is intended as a stricter form of punishment. The idea behind successive sentences is that the defendant must serve time for each crime they have committed, rather than simply serving one sentence for all of their offenses.

Examples of Successive Sentences

  1. John was found guilty of three counts of armed robbery and was sentenced to 10 years for each count. Because the sentences were successive, he will have to serve a total of 30 years in prison.

  2. Sarah was convicted of three counts of fraud and was sentenced to five years for each count. Since the sentences were successive, she will have to serve 15 years in jail.

  3. Mike was found guilty of multiple charges of sexual harassment and was sentenced for 2 years each for every case. As the sentences were successive, he has to serve the punishment period of all sentences.

Legal Terms Similar to Successive Sentences

  1. Concurrent sentences - Concurrent sentences are the opposite of successive sentences, where multiple sentences are served concurrently, or at the same time.

  2. Consecutive sentences – This term is often used interchangeably with Successive Sentences.

  3. Sentencing guidelines – These guidelines provide a framework for judges to determine the appropriate type and length of the sentencing for a specific crime or offender.