How can I get a pardon for drug crimes?

On Behalf of | Oct 26, 2020 | Drug Charges

Presidents may occasionally opt to provide a pardon to someone serving time. Recently, legislative bodies at the federal and state levels have begun to reconsider and revise the treatment of drug crimes. Because of this, you may have an increased chance of getting a pardon from the president.

Getting the attention of the president for your specific case may prove more difficult than you think. Even so, you may manage to get it done.

Wait five years

If you have only just begun to serve time, the president may not have the opportunity to offer clemency. The Justice Department explains that the president may only pardon federal cases and you may need to wait half a decade before applying for clemency. In some cases, you may have the opportunity to seek a waiver for this waiting period requirement.

Seek character references

You may need to convince the president you are not a threat to society. One way to do this is to provide character references with your application. Finding individuals ready to write these on your behalf can prove difficult. To make matters worse, your family members generally cannot participate in this step.

Fill out paperwork

The government has specific forms to fill out to obtain clemency. In most cases, you may need to submit these to the Office of the Pardon Attorney. Follow any rules regarding how to treat the documents submitted. For instance, you may need to provide scanned documents instead of pictures and you usually cannot glue or staple documents.

An important thing to note is that pardons may not lead to the expungement of records. Instead, a pardon may secure your freedom and help to improve your likelihood of getting a job. After all, if the president gives you a chance, employers may feel compelled to do the same.

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