Did You Know- Sentence Reduction

by Cedric Dean
Did you know, under the Constitution, the President has the authority to commute or reduce a sentence imposed upon conviction of a (federal) offense, including for convictions obtained in the U.S. District Courts and the Superior Court of the District of Columbia?

Note: The President cannot commute a sentence for a state criminal offense. Accordingly, if you want to seek clemency for a state criminal conviction, you should contact the Governor or other appropriate authorities of the state where the conviction occurred (e.g., the state board of pardons and paroles) to determine whether any relief is available to you under state law.

Petition for Commutation (Reduction) of Sentence (federal convictions only) may be obtained from your assigned case manager. Upon completion, return it to your case manager, who has 30 days to route it through the Warden to the office of the Pardon Attorney, who will review it and make a recommendation to the President.

The guidelines for the Office of the Pardon Attorney state that the excessive nature of a sentence and associated sentencing disparity are appropriate considerations when granting a petition for commutation.

For more information, you can write or call the Office of the Pardon Attorney, 1145 NY Ave., NW, Suite 11000, Washington, DC 20530 Tel: 202.616.6070