Imposing a sentence of more than one term of "life" can have a real effect.

It seems nonsensical: Why sentence a defendant to more than one “life” sentence? Life is, after all, life.

But there are actually practical reasons why courts impose sentences that exceed “life.” These kinds of sentences frequently arise in murder cases involving multiple victims.

In some jurisdictions, a “life” sentence is a misnomer: The defendant may be eligible for parole after a set number of years, like 25. But even where the sentence is life without the possibility of parole, consecutive life sentences may serve a practical purpose.

More Years Than Life Even when the penalty isn't "life," the punishment for a defendant can be a number of years that exceeds the human lifespan. For instance, in a case involving charges of failing to register as a sex offender and sexual contact with minors, a defendant received the following consecutive prison terms: 15 years for each of nine counts and ten years for each of two counts, for a total of 155 years. (United States v. Gillette, 738 F.3d 63 (3d Cir. 2013).)

Suppose, for example, that a defendant is on trial for two murders. The jury convicts him of both, and the judge sentences him to consecutive life sentences. He appeals the convictions and a court overturns one because the prosecution didn’t comply with its discovery obligations. That takes one life sentence off the books—at least until the defendant can be retried. But the other life sentence remains in effect.