The short answer: The Office of the Pardon Attorney is the Justice Department office that receives and investigates federal pardon and commutation petitions. The department then sends its recommendation to the President. You can reach the office by email at USPardon.Attorney@usdoj.gov.

Clemency is a difficult process on both ends. It’s difficult for applicants to get recognized by the President. And for the President, it is nearly impossible to consider each and every clemency petition. The Pardon Attorney Office exists for these reasons. The Office helps the clemency application and approval process.

While the President has exclusive power to grant clemency petitions, the Pardon Attorney manages each petition leading up to the President’s approval.

Pardon Attorney Office
Pardon Attorney Office

The Office in the National Headlines

In recent years, the Pardon Attorney Office doj has come under fire. Most notably, perhaps, was the case of Pardon Attorney Ronald Rodgers. In 2012, the Justice Department’s Inspector General found that Rodgers had not accurately conveyed key facts to the Bush White House about the commutation petition of Clarence Aaron, who was serving three life sentences for a first-time drug offense, including the views of the sentencing judge and the prosecutor. President Obama later commuted Aaron’s sentence in 2013.

Criticisms of the Office

Common cited reasons in protest of the Pardon Attorney Office are that it is understaffed and politically motivated.

Critics say the office’s staff has not kept pace with the number of petitions. These are the petition filing numbers for four recent presidents, beginning with President Obama (Justice Department clemency statistics):

  • Obama: 36,544
  • Bush: 11,074
  • Clinton: 7,489
  • Bush (one term): 1,466

The need for a strong petition is greater than ever. You do not need a lawyer to apply, and most applicants file without one (Office of the Pardon Attorney, Frequently Asked Questions). If you want help, book a consultation.

Frequently Asked Where Did The Pardon Attorney’s Office Come From?

The office’s history goes back to the 1800s, and it took its current name in 1894 (Office of the Pardon Attorney, Frequently Asked Questions). Today, the Office of the Pardon Attorney handles receiving, processing, investigating, and recommending applications for clemency.

What Is The Pardon Attorney Office ?

As mentioned, the Department of Justice has assisted the President in exercising the clemency power for well over 100 years. The pardon attorney now reviews all federal clemency requests and petitions before the President.

Who Is The Current Pardon Attorney?

The office’s website does not currently name the Pardon Attorney. Check justice.gov/pardon for current information.

How Does Pardon Attorney Office Influence the President?
  • The Pardon Attorney Office’s influence over the President has been called into question because of this authority.
  • The Justice Department sends its recommendation to the President. If it recommends denial and the President does not act within 30 days, the President is presumed to agree and the case is closed (28 C.F.R. § 1.8). In practice, many petitions are decided this way.
  • This is why careful preparation matters. Failure to include important information, submit a petition at the right time, or even understand the next steps can seriously jeopardize an applicant’s chance of making it in front of the President.
What Exactly Does The Pardon Attorney Do?

From conducting investigations to handling public relations, the Pardon Attorney’s main focus is to assist the President. First and foremost, the Pardon Attorney’s Office assists the President in deciding which clemency application to grant.

Doesn’t The President Have Absolute Pardon Power?
  • Yes and no. The Department of Justice (doj) gained some clemency authority in 1893. This power includes clemency petition processing and advising the President.
  • So, while the President has ultimate authority to use his pardon power, the Pardon Attorney’s office receives, reviews, and investigates every clemency petition before the President ever sees the applications. The Pardon Attorney’s office strongly influences who is pardoned through the normal process.
How should I contact Office of the Pardon Attorney Department of Justice ?

EMAIL

You can email the Office of the Pardon Attorney at USPardon.Attorney@usdoj.gov (send attachments in PDF format). Email is the preferred method.

Mail
You can write them mail using U. S postal service on the following address

U.S. Department of Justice
Office of the Pardon Attorney
950 Pennsylvania Avenue – RFK Main Justice Building
Washington, DC 20530

PHONE

You can call them at 202-616-6070.