Rule 37.69 Judgment - Commutation

If someone has already been sent to jail or prison to serve their sentence, the judge has the power to shorten that sentence. This means the judge can decide that the time the person has already spent behind bars is enough, even if it's less than the original sentence called for.

This gives judges some flexibility after sentencing. If circumstances change or the judge decides the person doesn't need to serve the full term, they can end the sentence early by counting the time already served as complete. The defendant would then be released instead of finishing out the rest of their original sentence.