In a statement on April 18, California Governor Jerry Brown announced that he would be granting pardons to 63 individuals. According to Governor Brown, all 63 pardons were granted to former inmates who had completed their sentences and were released from custody more than a decade ago and have not been involved in any further criminal activity.1
More than 40 of the pardons granted were for convictions on charges of drug offenses. These include possessing, selling or manufacturing controlled substances such as marijuana. Clark William Guest, who was convicted of stealing from his landlord to support his methamphetamine habit, was also one of those pardoned. He had served 60 days in jail as well as five years of probation.
Brown pardoned individuals who had, “lived an honest and upright life, exhibited good moral character and conducted themselves as law-abiding citizens.” Many of those pardoned are now active in public service and work closely with nonprofit rehabilitation programs.
Brown’s announcement to pardon these 63 individuals came on Good Friday. The Catholic governor’s decision is consistent with his past pardons, which have been granted on Christmas and Easter.
Why You Should Apply for a Governor’s Pardon Now
Governor Brown’s Easter pardons are just one example of his generosity since entering office in 2011. Thus far, he has granted more than 400 total pardons. This past Christmas, Brown pardoned 127 people on a single day-93 of those pardons involved drug-related offenses.2
Brown has proven to be far more inclined to grant pardons than prior governors. Previous governors Arnold Schwarzenegger, Gray Davis and Pete Wilson combined to grant only 29 pardons over a 20-year period before Brown took office.
It is clear that there has never been a better time to apply for a governor’s pardon in California. The chances of your pardon being granted have never been higher than with Brown in office.
The Governor is not required to take any action on pardon applications, but Brown’s history shows that he may be more likely to do so. Therefore, it is crucial that you speak with an attorney who is experienced with the lengthy application process today.
An experienced attorney can help you prepare a pardon request so that you have the best chance of obtaining a governor’s pardon. This process involves:
- Acquiring a certificate of rehabilitation from the court;
- Getting A Notice of Intent to Apply for Executive Clemency; and
- Acknowledgment of receipt of the Notice of Intent from the District Attorney of each county you were convicted in.3
Contact Your Criminal Defense Attorneys at Wallin & Klarich Today
The skilled and knowledgeable attorneys at Wallin & Klarich have been successfully helping our clients through the difficult process of applying for a governor’s pardon for over 30 years. Let us help with your case.
With offices located in Orange County, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Torrance, Riverside, West Covina, Victorville, Ventura, San Diego and Sherman Oaks, our zealous attorneys are available to help you no matter where you work or live.
Call us today at (888) 280-6839 for a free phone consultation. We will get through this together.
1. [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/19/jerry-brown-pardons_n_5178915.html]↩
2. [Id.]↩
3. [http://gov.ca.gov/docs/How_To_Apply_for_a_Pardon.pdf]↩
