{"data":{"id":"us/28-cfr-2.12","jurisdiction":"us","citation":"28 CFR 2.12","heading":"Initial hearings: Setting presumptive release dates.","body":"(a) An initial hearing shall be conducted within 120 days of a prisoner's arrival at a federal institution or as soon thereafter as practicable; except that in a case of a prisoner with a minimum term of parole ineligibility of ten years or more, the initial hearing will be conducted nine months prior to the completion of such a minimum term, or as soon thereafter as practicable.\n(b) Following initial hearing, the Commission shall (1) set a presumptive release date (either by parole or by mandatory release) within fifteen years of the hearing; (2) set an effective date of parole; or (3) continue the prisoner to a fifteen year reconsideration hearing pursuant to § 2.14(c).\n(c) Notwithstanding the above paragraph, a prisoner may not be paroled earlier than the completion of any judicially set minimum term of imprisonment or other period of parole ineligibility fixed by law.\n(d) A presumptive parole date shall be contingent upon an affirmative finding by the Commission that the prisoner has a continued record of good conduct and a suitable release plan and shall be subject to the provisions of §§ 2.14 and 2.28. In the case of a prisoner sentenced under the Narcotic Addict Rehabilitation Act, 18 U.S.C. 4254, a presumptive parole date shall also be contingent upon certification by the Surgeon General pursuant to § 2.3 of these rules. Consideration of disciplinary infractions in cases with presumptive parole dates may be deferred until the commencement of the next in-person hearing or the prerelease record review required by § 2.14(b). While prisoners are encouraged to earn the restoration of forfeited or withheld good time, the Commission will consider the prisoner's overall institutional record in determining whether the conditions of a presumptive parole date have been satisfied.","path":["Title 28—Judicial Administration","CHAPTER I—DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE","PART 2—PAROLE, RELEASE, SUPERVISION AND RECOMMITMENT OF PRISONERS, YOUTH OFFENDERS, AND JUVENILE DELINQUENTS","Subpart A—United States Code Prisoners and Parolees"],"source_url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2026-08-25/title-28.xml","current_through":"2026-08-25","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-27T02:25:14Z","sha256":"16774ac3fccce353df4eecfd28673ddb05f1b0d50499ac18e6b7336da44baa09","source_id":"us-cfr","stale":true,"prev":"us/28-cfr-2.11","next":"us/28-cfr-2.13"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}