| Each new president sees a deluge of pardon | | | | Office of the Pardon Attorney will be more likely |
| applications. The desire of people to obtain | | | | to look favorably on your application. |
| forgiveness for past criminal transgressions | | | | You must not only satisfy the waiting period and |
| springs anew when a new administration takes | | | | avoid any unlawful behavior, but should also |
| the oath of office. | | | | provide an official copy of your criminal arrest |
| The Department of Justice has established certain | | | | history. Copies of your credit report and records |
| minimum standards for those wishing to apply for | | | | related to any civil law suit in which you have |
| a presidential pardon. The Department of Justice | | | | been involved must also be assembled. This step |
| has established the Office of the Pardon | | | | is more important than it sounds. Any omissions |
| Attorney, whose sole responsibility is to review | | | | or incorrect entries in your application could be |
| and evaluate each pardon application. Your | | | | interpreted by the Department of Justice as a |
| application for a presidential pardon must be | | | | falsification. A federal indictment could be issued |
| well-drafted, fully meet all the requirements, and | | | | against you. It is more important to be honest. |
| present your best case for deserving clemency. | | | | Negative entries in your past can be explained, |
| Before you start anything, you must wait until at | | | | and this is the preferred way to address |
| least five years have passed since the termination | | | | imperfections in your pardon application. |
| of your period of incarceration. Supervised | | | | The final part of the application is your reason for |
| release, which often comes after incarceration in | | | | wanting a pardon. Good reasons are related to |
| the federal system, does not have to be | | | | work, education and professional certifications. |
| completed prior to the five year waiting period | | | | Without a valid need for a pardon, you are likely |
| terminating. This is neither a Constitutional nor | | | | to have your application denied outright without |
| statutory requirement - it is completely an internal | | | | even full consideration. Retaining an attorney |
| requirement by the Department of Justice. The | | | | experienced in the presidential pardon process is |
| government believes the waiting period is | | | | vital to make sure this part, among the others, is |
| necessary "to demonstrate an ability to lead a | | | | done correctly. Without a well-crafted rationale for |
| responsible, productive and law-abiding life." | | | | forgiveness, your application will not receive full |
| Needless to say, there is also a requirement that | | | | consideration by the Department of Justice. |
| your behavior be completely lawful since the | | | | The pardon power is exclusive to the president |
| completion of your federal sentence. Probationary | | | | per the terms of Article II, Section 2 of the |
| sentences begin the five year period on the date | | | | Constitution, so the decision on whether or not to |
| of sentencing. | | | | grant a pardon is final. The Department of Justice |
| Three sworn character references should also be | | | | has not felt it necessary to set up an internal |
| included with your pardon application. You are not | | | | appeals process. Further, there is no hearing to |
| limited to three, but the main three references | | | | determine your pardon worthiness, unlike many |
| must be designated as primary. Character | | | | states which will grant a hearing to the petitioner |
| references cannot be from relatives or spouses. | | | | before making the final decision. The presidential |
| Your application rests on the strength of your | | | | pardon application is something you really only get |
| personal references. If other upstanding individuals | | | | one shot at per administration. You want to make |
| consider you worthy of their endorsement, the | | | | sure you get it right the first time. |
