Legal Definitions - consecutive sentences

Definition: Consecutive sentences refer to two or more sentences of jail time that are to be served in sequence. For example, if a defendant receives consecutive sentences of 20 years and 5 years, the total amount of jail time is 25 years. Also known as cumulative or accumulative sentences.

Example: A defendant is found guilty of two separate crimes and is sentenced to 10 years in prison for the first crime and 15 years in prison for the second crime. If the judge orders the sentences to be served consecutively, the defendant will serve a total of 25 years in prison.

This example illustrates how consecutive sentences work. Instead of serving both sentences at the same time, the defendant must serve one sentence after the other, resulting in a longer total sentence.