NEW FORM RELEASED
The United States Department of Justice recently announced that the Office of the Pardon Attorney -- which assists the President with his exercise of "executive clemency," which includes pardons, commutations of sentences, remissions of fines or restitution, and reprieves -- has issued a new form.
The DOJ's press release noted that the form changes include:
- Eliminating the requirement for notarized signature pages, to reduce the burden on applicants and their character references;
- Asking for less information about applicants’ histories, to streamline the application and make it easier to complete;
- Reducing legal jargon and implementing plain language throughout; and
- Adding user-focused resources, including enhanced instructions and explanations, a checklist for completion and a table of contents.
In order to qualify, you must meeting the following requirements:
- Have a conviction under federal law, D.C. Code, or Uniform Code of Military Justice;
- Have been released from prison or home/community detention at least five years ago .... OR ... have been sentenced at least five years ago, if you were not given a prison term; and
- Live in the U.S. or its territories
In a written statement, Pardon Attorney Elizabeth Oyer note that, “I am very excited to announce the launch of our new-and-improved pardon form, which greatly simplifies and improves the user experience .... It is an important piece of Pardon’s broader efforts to simplify and demystify the clemency process. It is vital that we take data-driven and forward-thinking steps to maintain a clemency process that is accessible and user-friendly. Along with our community outreach and educational visits to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, this form shows our ongoing commitment to the public to reduce the burden of applying for clemency.”
Despite it's supposed revamp, and purported simplicity, you'll likely have to beg for this pardon.
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