If you’ve checked out this website and have interest in getting a pardon, you might have some questions. One common question that we hear at our office is if there is a time limit for the pardon application. You might be thinking that it is too late to get a pardon if you were convicted of a crime a while ago. On this page, I will clear up this issue to help you understand your personal pardon eligibility. Understanding your eligibility before applying can end up saving you time and money because it can mean that you apply at the time when your application is strongest.

Eligibility Time Period

If you want to apply for a pardon, there is a certain amount of time that has to go by before you will be eligible. If you want to apply for an absolute pardon, and you were convicted of an unclassified felony with a term of imprisonment of 5-10 years or a class C felony, the expungement will automatically take place 12 years after the conviction date. If you are convicted of an unclassified felony that caries a prison sentence of less than five years, your crime will be pardoned 10 years after the conviction date. This is the case for an absolute or an expungement pardon. If you want to apply for a provisional pardon, there is no time issue. You can apply any time after your conviction.

While there are limits in terms of how soon after conviction you can apply for a pardon, there are no limits when it comes to how far from your conviction you can apply. If you decide at some point that you want to get a pardon, you can do so 10, 20, or even 50 years after the conviction. Of course, if you have been trying to get a pardon for some time, and you keep getting denied, the passing of time alone won’t make your application better. You will have to do things to show that you have made an effort to improve since the time of your conviction.

Getting Help

If you are interested in applying for a pardon, it is important to make sure that you are eligible. The time aspect of eligibility is not the only one that you should be concerned about. Make sure that your pardon application will not be denied right away because you are not a suitable candidate. You can determine this by discussing your situation with a pardon lawyer. Pardon lawyers work with pardon applications every day. They will help you understand the chances that your application has based on the specifics of your situation. While a pardon lawyer can’t predict the future, he or she will be able to steer you in the right direction. They can make your pardon application stronger and help you through this oftentimes stressful process. For more information, feel free to contact my office. I am happy to sit down with you during a free consultation to discuss your personal situation. If we do decide that you are a good candidate for a pardon, I can help make sure that your application is filled out and filed properly. I can help your application turn out as strong as possible.