U.S. Department
of Justice
About the Office
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- The Office of the Pardon Attorney is led by the Pardon Attorney, a career public servant. The Pardon Attorney is not a political appointee or a prosecutor. The mission of the Office is to support second chances through clemency.
- The Pardon Attorney and staff are responsible for administering the executive clemency process, in accordance with longstanding federal regulations. We review and investigate applications for executive clemency that are submitted to the Department of Justice, and we make recommendations to grant or deny those applications based on the standards written in the Justice Manual.
- Thousands of clemency applications are submitted to the Office each year. Many come from people who are in prison and seeking a shorter prison sentence (known as a “commutation”). Others come from people who have completed their sentences and are seeking forgiveness for their offenses (known as a “pardon”).
- We are committed to timely and carefully reviewing all applications and making recommendations to the President that are consistent, unbiased, and uphold the interests of justice. We also seek to provide the public with a clemency process that is accessible, fair, and transparent, and to fulfill our duty to those we serve. Between 2022 and 2024, the Office reviewed approximately 12,000 clemency applications and reduced case processing times by about 85%.
- Under the Justice Manual, one relevant consideration is disparity or undue severity of sentence. In assessing applications for commutation, the Office considers whether the applicant would likely face a lower sentence under current law and policy. The Office prioritizes recommendations for clemency for individuals serving outdated and overly lengthy terms of imprisonment and who have demonstrated rehabilitation while incarcerated.
- For over 130 years, Presidents have relied on the Pardon Attorney to provide neutral advice and expertise on clemency and to prepare the documents necessary to enact the President’s decisions. However, only the President can grant clemency. The advice given by the Pardon Attorney does not limit the President’s constitutional clemency power.
Updated December 9, 2024