How Do I Get A Pardon?
Are you a convicted felon? Has this conviction kept you from getting a job or obtaining a firearm? If so, our Oklahoma pardon attorney can help you receive a pardon and then an expungement so you are no longer a felon. We will go through the entire application packet with you one-on-one. Because we care about our clients, an Oklahoma pardon lawyer will prepare your application to STAND OUT and catch the eye of each person reviewing it.
Pardons Are Different From Expungements
The Oklahoma Constitution (Art. 6, § 10) gives the Governor authority to issue a pardon. A pardon is an “act of grace and mercy bestowed by state through chief executive, upon offenders against its laws.” Ex parte Jones, 25 Okl. Cr. 347, 220 P. 978 (1923). Before the Governor grants a pardon, the Pardon and Parole Board has to recommend you first.
A pardon is merely an “official forgiveness of a crime“. Obtaining a pardon does not result in “clearing” or “expunging” your record. After the Governor grants a pardon, you’ll still have an arrest record, but your arrest record will only change slightly.
OKLAHOMA PARDON PROCESS
STEP ONE: An Extensive Application Preparation (Completed By Us)
The process require filling out an APPLICATION packet, providing certified copies of court documents, appearing before the Pardon and Parole Board, and obtaining approval by the Governor. Pardons are difficult to obtain and given the current political climate in Oklahoma, fewer and fewer are going to be granted. Having an experienced lawyer guide you through the process will help, however, we cannot guarantee results. Note, the Executive Branch and not through the courts or Judicial Branch of government manage this process. Therefore, this is a political process, not a legal process.
STEP TWO: Expunge Your Felony
After a successful pardon by your Oklahoma pardon attorney, a felony is also eligible for full expungement. So long as you are eligible, our lawyers will work with you to clear your record.
NOT ALL FELONY CHARGES REQUIRE A PARDON
Not all felony charges require a pardon before becoming eligible for expungement. If you were convicted (jail, prison, or a suspended sentence) of a felony, you must get a pardon before qualifying. The same is true for any felony conviction received by a person under age 18 at the time of conviction. However, deferred felony sentences are immediately eligible for an expungement after waiting five years from the date of dismissal. Learn more about expungements for deferred convictions and how to get a felony expunged in Oklahoma.
If you were convicted of a violent felony (listed in 57 Okla. Stat. § 571), you will not qualify for an expungement. Check this list of Oklahoma violent felonies.
Our Oklahoma Pardon Attorneys
At Bury Your Past | Wyatt Law Office, your Oklahoma pardon lawyer charges a “flat fee for your pardon”. The fee is paid over the two phases of the process. Our lawyers and attorneys will sit down with you to personalize your application. Next, we appear at your home for the home inspection. Finally, we appear with you at the hearing and handle communication with the Governor’s Office. We get every document for you except for your credit check and proof of residency. However, some documents are only available to you such as your credit report. We will ask you to obtain that and a proof or residency.
Other offices make you deliver your packet and get your own OSBI Report. Be sure if you hire a lawyer you won’t be doing the basics of the process on your own. Bury Your Past focuses on you and we charge much less than some of the state’s other firms who focus on pardons. Don’t leave one of the most important processes in your life in the hands of someone who will turn you into an assistant. Contact our Oklahoma pardon attorneys for an Oklahoma pardon, your “Official Forgiveness of a Crime”.
Questions? Contact our office by phone or online.
