COMMUTATION OF SENTENCE
After exhausting your legal appeals, petition for a reduced sentence.
Commutation of sentence is part of the President’s discretionary pardon power. Unlike a pardon, which fully restores a petitioner’s civil rights, a commutation merely shortens your time in prison.
Typically, commutation applicants are already serving their sentence in a federal prison and have exhausted all legal challenges to their conviction. Samuel Morison can work with you while you are incarcerated to prepare the petition. If your sentence was disproportionately harsh, or if the law has changed in some relevant way, he can formulate legal arguments to support a reduced sentence.
Requirements
In order to apply for a commutation, you must meet the following eligibility requirements:
⦁ Have committed a federal offense.
⦁ Are already serving your sentence.
⦁ Have no pending appeals or legal challenges to your conviction or
sentence.
Application Process
Petitions for commutation (reduction) of sentence are typically submitted to the Office of the Pardon Attorney (OPA), the agency within the Department of Justice that is responsible for advising the President on clemency decisions. The OPA evaluates each petition and makes a recommendation, which the President almost always follows.
Although the investigation is not as far-reaching as it would be for a post-conviction pardon to restore civil rights, the OPA does contact the warden of the prison where you are incarcerated as part of its evaluation. In addition to collecting information about your conviction, OPA considers your overall criminal record, your behavior while incarcerated, letters of support from friends and family, and your plans for reestablishing yourself in the community after your release. Contact our office for more information.
