Pardons and Clemency

Pardons and clemency are the powers of a president or governor to forgive a crime, shorten a sentence, or reduce its effects. They include pardons, commutations, and reprieves. The Constitution gives the president this power for federal crimes, and state constitutions give governors or boards a similar power.

People usually ask how someone applies, who decides, what the difference is between a pardon and a commutation, what limits exist, and what a pardon does and does not change about a conviction or a person's record.