Executive Clemency and Expungement of Criminal Records throughout Illinois and Cook County

Assistance in Obtaining a Governor’s Pardon – Mitigating the Impact of a Criminal Conviction

Many citizens who made isolated mistakes in their past or that have turned their lives around after serving time for a criminal offense find that they cannot obtain a job or start a career.  The burden of a criminal record that cannot be successfully expunged or sealed can make the consequences of a criminal conviction last far beyond one’s term of incarceration or supervision.  Arrests and convictions of misdemeanor and felony convictions are matters of public record.  If you are ineligible or have been unsuccessful in seeking to seal or expunge your public record of arrest and/or conviction, your best option for reclaiming your reputation and improving your employment opportunities may be to file a petition for executive clemency.  This process is also referred to as seeking a Governor’s pardon.

Chicago Clemency Attorney Robert J. Callahan has almost twenty years of experience representing those charged with criminal offenses and helping them rebuild their reputation through sealing of records, expungements and executive clemency.  Mr. Callahan and his experienced criminal clemency legal team have been successful in seeking clemency for many clients.  Our law firm prepares a compelling clemency petition with supporting documents designed to maximize our clients’ chance at success.

A Governor’s pardon may restore all of the privileges and right that you forfeited because of your criminal conviction.  The clemency process can result in simply forgiving your past criminal activity to restore your privileges and rights and/or it may make it possible to obtain an expungement of your record or have the record sealed.  When used together, these remedies can eliminate the detrimental impact of a prior criminal conviction on your ability to obtain employment.

The Governor has sole discretion to decide whether to grant a clemency petition.  Our criminal clemency lawyers will assist you in identifying and gathering the most compelling evidence of your achievements and other evidence supporting mitigation.  We will also help you provide persuasive evidence regarding the positive changes in your lifestyle, and the hardships your criminal record has created.  Our presentation will help the Illinois Prisoner Review Board, which submits recommendations to the governor, recognize that you present a low risk of recidivism if the request is granted.

While it is permissible to submit an application for clemency on your own, it is important to understand that a high number of such requests are submitted for the governor’s consideration.  Because the decision to grant clemency is highly discretionary, your petition for executive clemency must be persuasive, compelling and supported by convincing supporting evidence and documents.

Our law firm has represented hundreds upon hundreds of people in criminal cases ranging from minor misdemeanors to capital felonies so we understand the debilitating nature of a criminal record.  The Chicago criminal defense law firm of Robert J. Callahan & Associates is committed to assisting our clients in navigating the hardships associated with a criminal conviction so that they can rebuild their lives.  We offer a free consultation so contact us today by calling us 24/7 at 312-322-9000 or contact us online by submitting an online contact form or through our live chat.